Coming Home
by Because-They-Make-Me
Summary: Life in Konoha has been peaceful after the Fourth Shinobi War, but that peace ends when an old enemy decides to surface. In order to bring tranquility back to the village Tsunade decides to bring a once dead kunoichi back from the grave. KakashixOC.
1. Prologue

AN: So, I haven't watched Naruto Shippuden in a while (I know, bad me), so please forgive anything that doesn't go along exactly with the story. If it really bugs you tell me and I'll attempt to fix it.

"Spoken" _Thought_ **Writing**

Prologue

"Soi, will you switch with me for a bit? My back has been killing me since the other day and I need a break," a husky yelled from several yards away. The moment Soi heard her name being called she snapped to attention. She looked towards the direction of her uncle. He wasn't an old man, in his late thirties perhaps. When he was an active ninja he suffered a critical back injury, almost paralyzing him. Lucky for him, and everyone else in her family, she would do anything for him.

As Soi began to rise from her seat on the porch she overheard her mother and aunt talking. "Is Jiro's back bothering him again?"

Soi's Aunt Shig always seemed to answer questions like this as if it were slightly difficult and unwanted. "Yeah, but he wont see a doctor about it. You know how Jiro is, Gina. We all know."

Within moments Soi was down by the lake with her uncle and little cousins. The kids were all under the age of eight, but higher than four. They played joyfully in the shallow end of the lake while the hot sun kept the water warm. Soi couldn't help the smile the spread across her face as she looked at the laughing children before her.

"I relieve you of your duties, Captain," Soi said with a salute and a smile that couldn't be hidden even if she tried.

Jiro gave her a brief smile before taking off his shirt and turning his back to her. "Could you rub my back? It's really killin' me." Soi was the unofficial go to person for back problems. She was born with the natural gift to give great massages, most of which went to her Uncle Jiro.

A small moan escaped his lips, which made Soi smile. She was always happy to help out someone she loved. Her gaze turned to the right to look at the kids playing. _I love my life,_ she thought to herself.

Soi was the type of girl that was just naturally lucky. She had a big family, who all had very different personalities, but very big hearts. The type of family that would do anything for you, that would die for you. She had so many aunts and uncles that, for outsiders anyway, would take forever to memories. She had five little cousins and a younger brother who lit up her world, a mother that always listened, and a stepfather you cracked sarcastic jokes every chance he got. In a word, she had the perfect life.

"Soi, Soi! Come play with us. We're playing sharks," said an overly perky little voice. Soi's gaze turned to the little four year old girl. She had long stick straight hair and dark brown eyes. She looked exactly like her mother except for her father's overly white skin.

Soi's summons by the little girl gave Jiro the cue to leave. He muttered a thank you and walked off. Even though Soi was in white shorts and a black tank top, she didn't care how she would look. Her family wouldn't judge if she walked around in wet white shorts. In a flash Soi was in the water with the younger kids, acting like a child herself. Her waist long curly hair seemed to grow longer in the water, as it often looked when it got wet and the curls loosened.

"Soi, watch this," one of her other younger cousins ordered. Soi watched as the little red-head girl held her breath and ducked under the water. She came up moments later and grinned up Soi, looking for some positive reinforcement.

"Very good, Takeo. I bet you can stay under way longer than I can," Soi joked.

Soi stayed in the water for about an hour before her other aunt, Chiasa, came down and sat by the side of the lake. Chiasa smiled at her family and yelled for Soi to sit next to her. With slight protests from the young kids, Soi got out of the water and sat next to her aunt, her favorite aunt.

"Next week Hotaka and I plan on taking Sango to Hidden Mist Village to see Kato. Do you want us to bring you back anything?" Questions like this use to bug Soi, but now she doesn't seem to care. No one ever asked her if she wanted to go with them anymore. Even if they did, she'd have to say no. To the shinobi world, she was dead. She couldn't risk going to any of the hidden villages in fear of being found. That was the reason why her family relocated. Not just her immediate family, but the entire things. Aunts and uncles, great-aunts and uncles, her great-grandfather. All of them moved for her. She was the reasons they her family moved to one of the smallest towns around. That way no one would know who they were or where they came from.

"Surprise me."

Soi's gaze turned upward as she saw a winged shadow above the children in the water. The kids and her aunt weren't trained to notice things like this, but she always looked up when she saw birds. The bird circled above her, as if it was searching for something.

With an amazing grace that only a bird can possess, the messenger bird flew down to Soi's level and dropped a scroll in her lap. Chiasa yelled as the bird almost hit her as it went back into the sky. "Stupid bird," Chiasa yelled. After regaining her composure, she looked over at Soi. "What is that," she asked as she pointed to the scroll.

It was a small, dark green scroll with the Hidden Leaf design patterned in the fabric. After Soi and her family left the Hidden Leaf village, only two people knew that she wasn't dead and knew her whereabouts: the Third Hokage and Tsunade. Soi quickly unrolled the scroll and read its contents.

**Soi,**

**By request of the Hidden Leaf Village you are ask to return to active duty.**

**- The Fifth Hokage**

"The Fifth Hokage? What happened to the Third," Chiasa questioned as she read over Soi's shoulder.

Several things about this situation put Soi on edge. First, if the Hidden Leaf needed a ninja to return to active duty, they didn't ask, they demanded. Second, if she was being asked to come back, then something major must have happened. Third, if this new Hokage sent her this note, then something must have happened to the Third Hokage. And lastly, someone beside the Third and Tsunade knew where she was.

"What are you going to do," Chiasa asked.

As Soi began rolling up the scroll a small piece of paper fell out of it.

**Soi,**

**I know this is a lot to ask of you, but we desperately need your help. I know what I'm asking and I'd understand if you refused.**

**- Tsunade**

After reading the not Soi's mind was instantly made up. "I'm going back." Within a blink on an eye Soi had jumped up and ran to the house. She informed her family what was going on and their responses didn't shock her. Her mother was worried about her returning to the Leaf village by herself, Manabu, her brother, was angry that she had to leave, and the rest of her family was torn between her leaving or staying. "Tsunade ask me to do this. If she needs me, then I'll do what I can to help her."

As her family talked amongst themselves Soi went into the house, up the steps, and to her room. She went to the closet and pulled out a large backpack that was filled with cloths, bathroom supplies, some food, and a sleeping bag that was attached on the back. With catlike speed she stripped out of her wet cloths and into black shorts and a red shirt with short sleeves and that cut off right before her belly button. Just for fun she switched her yellow belly ring for a black one. She strapped on her leg holsters that held her kunai and pulled on her sandals.

A knock came from the open door as she slipped on her shoes. Soi glanced up to see a short haired blond woman, her mother, standing in the doorway. "I see you're packed already," she said as she slowly made her way to the bed and sat next to her daughter. Soi didn't need to say that she had already had that backed packed for years. Everyone in her family already knew. There were no secrets between them. "You got ready fast."

Soi stood to grabbed a hair tie off of her nightstand and put her long curls in a pony-tail. "I have to help Tsunade. She'd help us if we ever needed it."

"I know that," her mother said softly. "I just don't you to go. Not by yourself." Soi went to sit back on the bed and gave her mother a big hug. Even though she was 28 years old and a very dangerous kunoichi, a mother couldn't help worrying over her child.

"I'll be safe, mom. I promise." Soi unlocked her arms from her mother and started to undo the wrap that was on her arm. Gina stopped her daughter's actions and started to undo it herself. Within moments Soi's ANBU mark was visible. The blond lightly traced her pale fingers Soi's light brown skin where the ANBU mark was.

Images of her daughter flashed in her mind. When Soi was five years old she asked why she was different than the rest of her family. The comment caught Gina off guard. Soi was the only non-white member of her mother's side of the family. All of them are pale white, but Soi had beautiful light brown skin. Her eyes were a deep dark brown that looked black from far away. She had long thick curly hair like her father's mother and was as tall as her too. Soi was always taller than the other kids and, at least to her mother, looked like and Amazon. 5'10", thin yet muscular, and beautiful. Explaining genetics to a five year old wasn't the most pleasant thing she's ever had to do, but they worked through it.

When Manabu first entered school Soi was there for his first day. She overheard on of the kids question Manabu how Soi could be his sister and he replied with a simple, "Because she loves me." Soi and her mother both smiled that day, a constant smile that didn't die. Her skin color was never a social problem, but people always asked if she was adopted.

But of course other memories rised to the surface. Soi's first step, her first kiss, her first mission, but most of all, the events of what happened in the Leaf village. The events that forced the family to leave.

"Momma, I have to go." Soi's voice broke Gina's train of thought.

"I know baby." Both women stood up. Hand in hand the mother-daughter figure quietly walked down the steps and headed to the front door. Everyone stood by the front door, some with tears in their eyes. They all hugged and said their goodbyes. Before slinging her book bag over her shoulder Soi turned to give her mother one final hug. "Write me," she ordered.

"I will," Soi said into the crook of her mother's neck. "I love you."

"I love you too, baby." Reluctantly they let go of each other and Soi silently turned her back on her family. After taking a deep breath she bolted for the woods, towards the Hidden Leaf. Several tears fell down the Gina's face as she watched her daughter run away from her.

Jun, Soi's stepfather, wrapped his arms around his wife and held her close to him. "She'll come back to us."

This chapter was just to get to know Soi and a little bit about her life. The next chapter will be set in Konoha.


	2. Arrival

"Spoken" _Thought_ **Writing**

Chapter 1: Arrival

The Fourth Shinobi War had ended and Konoha was back on its feet. The village was bigger than before and more spacious. The walls that surrounded the village was two times thicker than what it use to be and about 25 feet taller. A new defense system was in place and the citizens seemed to enjoy their return to normalcy.

Tsunade, like always, was sitting in her office. Her gaze seemed far off even though Sakura was speaking to her. "Tsunade-sama, are you even listening to me?"

The blond's gaze finally flickered towards her student. "You said that team 10 is waiting outside, ready to give their reports."

Sakura was slightly stunned that her sensei had been paying attention. "Can I let them in?"

Tsunade's gaze once again felt far away. "Actually, tell them to go get teams 7, 8, and Guy's team. We all need to have a little chat." Although a little confused Sakura bowed her head and started for the door. "And Sakura, Kakashi's appearance is mandatory. Tell him that if he isn't here on time that I will suspended him for three months." Sakura gave the Hogake a worried glance before she exited the room.

Brown eyes glanced down at important papers that sat on the Hokage's desk. Tsunade glanced over them and groaned.

**Team 6 Report: Failed. Suspect killed two team member. One member does not remember the battle.**

**Team 14 Report: Failed. Suspect critically injured three team members. Two team members say that the team leader attacked them.**

**Team 22 Report: Failed. Suspect used a seemingly familiar jutsu to take control of one team member and injure the other.**

And the reports went on. Those happened to be the three the she could see clearly without moving more papers around. In her gut Tsunade knew who this was, the pattern was the same. They had remained quiet for years, but now they're back. Why? What was their game?

A sudden knock at the door brought Tsunade out of her trance. The door squeaked open and the teams she request to see slowly poured through the door.

"Close the door," Tsunade said, her voice dripping with authority and anger. Neji, being the last one to enter the room, closed the door behind him. Tsunade rested her arms on the desk in front of her and took a deep breath. "What do you know about the multiple team failures that have been going on?"

Shikamaru was the first to speak. "Supposedly there is a group of ninja running around looking for banned jutsus. These guys must be powerful because they keep taking out our teams. I heard they even took out an ANBU squad."

"I head that they blackmailed team members to fight against each other," Naruto said a little too enthusiastically.

Tsunade waited for more replies, but received none. "Good, but not good enough. Instead of a group, try a duo. And they don't blackmail their enemies," the blond said as she gave Naruto an agitated glare, "they poses them."

"Hey, that's kinda like my ability," Ino said. At this comment Guy, Kurenai, and Kakashi all became ridged.

_Not again,_ Kurenai thought.

"It's exactly like your ability because it came from your family." Tsunade looked at the younger shinobi's face. Most of the chunin looked confused, but of course Sai, Shino, Shikamaru, and Neji all looked impassive. Then her gaze drifted to the three jounin, but finally rested on Kakashi. He was putting up a good front, but she knew where is mind was. "What do you know about Yamanaka Ichirou and Tanzin Kouki?"

"Come now, Tsunade-sama, they can't be here. They were captured years ago," Guy spoke up from behind his team.

"Guy is right, Hokage-same. They were taken care of," Kurenai added.

Tsunade kept her eyes fixed on Kakashi, waiting for him to make a move, but he didn't. "Ino."

"Uh, I know the name, but not the person. He's supposedly my uncle. Father never spoke about him much."

"And for good reason," Kakashi finally spoke up. His fists were balled up into tight fists, hidden deep within his pockets.

"Kakashi-sensei, don't be so mean," Sakura scolded.

That was what Tsunade was waiting for. Just one comment from him and she knew everything. "Ichirou and Kouki were on the same squad as a girl name Mouki Soi when your sensei's were your age. Admittedly, the three of them were very talented shinobi and played off of each other's strengths very well. However, about nine years ago two of them started some trouble."

_More like hell,_ Kakashi thought.

"One thing led to another and end eventually Ichirou and Kouki went rouge."

"For what reason," Hinata asked.

Tsunades eyes once again rested on Kakashi. She saw in his one visible eye that he was furious and in pain. "The reasons are not important. What is important is that I'm putting all of you on high alert."

"Why only us," Tenten asked. "Why not the entire village?"

"Because these groups have the three people that stopped Ichirou and Kouki's hellfire all those years ago." Tsunade's eyes flickered to the jounin, the younger shinobi's gaze followed close behind.

"You believe that they are targeting us," Guy asked in all seriousness. "Why now? After all this time."

"I'm not sure why they chose to resurface now, but the three of you need to be on alert along with your teams."

"But our team doesn't have an official team leader." Chouji said. "Usually Kakashi-sensei or another sensei accompany us when we go on higher level missions."

This was what Tsunade had been waiting for since she first sent the scroll. This moment. To see her former student again. To finally hug the girl she thought of as a daughter. "I am assigning you a new team leader." Tsudane looked at the clock on the wall, it read 12:28pm. Only two more minutes before he guest was supposed to arrive. "Give her two more minutes and she'll be here."

Kakashi's body went even more ridged than it was before, if that was at all possible. _Her? It can't be her,_ he thought.

"You're not going to give us Anko, are you," Ino protested. "She's crazy and is going to get us killed."

At that moment Tsunade's door flung open and an overly happy Anko walked through the door. Anko put Ino in a headlock and kept her there. "I'm sorry, did I hear correctly?" Ino muffeled a breathy, "I'm sorry," and began tapping Anko's arm. With a wide grin Anko let the blond girl go and took a few steps backwards towards the door. "Hokage-sama, you'll never guess who I found!"

Anko took two steps out of the door and vanished from view. Her voice echoed through the hall as she yell, "stop walking slow."

"I'm not walking slow, you're just running everywhere," the second voiced laughed out. Guy, Kurenai , and Kakashi all froze when they heard the voice. Anko ran back through the office door while dragging her newfound friend with her by the wrist.

Everyone stared at the newcomer. She was tall, slender, and beautiful. A true Amazon.

"Soi?"


	3. From The Past

AN: I'll say this up front so none of you get mad. The next few chapters are Soi getting settled into Konoha. After she's established things begin to pick up.

P.S. Also, I'm going to try and update every Monday. I know I just published two chapters already, but if I start updating now then hopefully I'll fall into the routine.

P.S.S. I have found two ways to spell Chouji/Choji. Which way is correct? Or if anyone doesn't care, then I'll keep it the way I have it.

"Spoken" _Thought_ **Writing **

Chapter 2: From The Past

The three jounin stared at her with amazement.

"Soi," Kurenai said as she moved to give the Soi a hug. "How can you…you're…," but the words never left her lips. Instead, tears of joy freely flowed down her face. Soi returned the hug whole-heartedly.

"I've missed you too, Kurenai."

Tears were freely flowing down Guy's face, a wild grin plastered there as well. "OH SOI," he shouted as he gave a bear hug to the two kunoichi in front of him. With a burst of energy he began to spin them in a circle. "I can't believe you're here! Death can not even keep you from us. And look, youth has been very good to you." Guy gently set them down and looked at Lee. "Lee, if you work hard enough and you believe in the power of youth, you will look eternally youthful like Soi."

Once Soi and Kurenai were released from Guy's grasp, they let go of their loving embrace. Soi playfully smacked Guy on the arm. "I'm only 28. I'm not old." She turned her gaze to the blond that stood behind the desk. "Tsunade-sensei on the other hand is a different story," she said as her voice dripped with sarcasm. All of the chunin went ridged at her words.

_She's a dead woman,_ Ino.

_Haha, she's going to get it now,_ Naruto.

_Uh oh_, Hinata.

Tsunade got up from her seat and moved in front of the desk. Soi walked forward and met her teacher by the desk. "I see that you're still a brat," she said as she quickly embraced the girl.

Soi hugged Tsunade back with all the force she could. "I've missed you sensei," she whispered. Tsunade didn't say anything. Instead, she hugged the girl tighter. After a moment she let the girl go. Soi turned to a still frozen Kakashi. "Hi," she said softly.

"Wait, what's going on? She can call you old, but I can't! How is that," but Naruto didn't get to finish his rant. Sakura punched him in the arm, hard.

"Shut up, Naruto. Show some respect," she barked. Soi giggled at their antics.

"I feel a little unloved." Soi faked a playful pout as she looked around the room. "Where's Asuma and Jiraiya? And wont the Third be mad that you're playing Hokage? You got away with that once, but I don't think he'll forgive you at you're current age." Soi felt the atmosphere in the room change drastically. It felt colder, more distant.

"Uh, you and I need to have a talk," Anko said as she rubbed the back of her head. Soi furrowed her brows in confusion. She was going to ask what was wrong, but Tsunade changed the subject.

"Team 10, this is Mouki Soi, you're new team leader."

"The same Soi that was partnered with Ichirou and Kouki," Shikamaru asked skeptically. Hearing those names made Soi flinch involuntarily. "If they are out there running a muck, is it a good idea for her to be here? Shouldn't she be in hiding?"

"And why isn't she really dead," Anko asked as she playfully pulled Soi back to her side.

"What's going on Tsunade-sama," Sakura asked.

Tsunade took a deep breath before sitting on the top of her desk. She crossed her arms over her chest. "Soi was in hiding for several years. And she would have stayed that way if Ichirou and Kouki hadn't resurfaced."

"So…you brought her out of hiding because they resurfaced?"

"The thing is, we need you Soi. Ichirou and Kouki are doing a number on our teams. With so many teams out of commission we need more help and I didn't think you should be alone. Now that they're back I couldn't risk them finding you and leaving you unprotected. Not to mention she know's their weaknesses inside and out."

"What makes you think they're back," Kiba asked.

"The pattern is the same. The injuries they inflect on our teams are always critical, but they have killed a few, yet anyway. A few reports say that all nature transformation jutsus are repealed and sent back at their users. Others mention a jutsu that seems a lot like the Yamanaka's jutsu. No one can mimic those abilities. It has to be them."

"What happened nine years ago," Neji finally spoke up. "You said that nine years ago they went rogue. Why?"

"It's a long story," Kakashi finally spoke up.

"But one that should be told. Especially if they have to put up with it," Soi retorted. "The three of us went on a mission together. We were chunin and it was supposed to be a C-rank mission, but it quickly turned into an A-rank. We were supposed to retrieve a few documents from a few villages over, but we didn't know that it was a trap. Two jounin teams of three appeared and thought they had us pinned, but….well, we weren't what they expected," she said with a smile.

"Understatement," Anko sang out. "I saw the report. You guys annihilated them!"

Soi laughed at Anko's remark, but Neji's face held skepticism. "Three chunin took on six jounin? Doubtful."

"Don't doubt," Guy and Kurenai said at the same time, make Soi laugh again.

"When Tsunade is you sensei you learn to be good, fast." Soi gave her old sensei a wink. "Anyway, after that fight Ichirou and Kouki thought they could take on the world. When we got back and were fully healed, they started acting out. They'd kill unnecessarily on missions, start fights in the streets, and countless other things. It got to the point where they had to be detained."

The room fell silent for a few moments after Soi stopped talking. "And," Naruto pressed.

"End of story," Kakashi said. Soi's eye flashed to Kakashi's single eye.

"Then why did she have to fake her death," Shikamaru asked.

"Good question," Kurenai added. "I'd like to know that too."

Soi broke her gaze from Kakashi and looked at her sensei. She didn't know if she was allowed to say anything or not. Thankfully, Tsunade spoke up for her. "Things began to get out of control. Ichirou and Kouki wanted Soi to join them, but she refused. One thing led to another and Soi had to go into hiding."

"Why does it sound like you're leaving some things out," Kiba asked.

"What you haven't been told are things you don't need to know."

Lee moved to stand next to Soi. He held her hand gently and looked directly in her eyes. "I swear that we will do everything in or power to protect. With the power of youth on our side there is now way we can fail."

Almost everyone in the room either groaned or shook their head at Lee's comment. "You're…you're just like Guy," Soi said, a little taken back.

"Too much like Guy-sensei," Tenten muttered.

"Now that all of you are up to speed on what's going on, you all should introduce yourselves." As everyone began to introduce themselves properly, Kakashi silently stood on the sidelines. His eye never left Soi's form. Everyone seemed to like her, at least from his point of view. Once introductions were over, Tsunade dismissed all of the teams.

"Hey, wait," Soi yelled to her new team before they left the room. "Lets meet up at training field one tomorrow around 8am. I want to test your skills."

Ino gave her new sensei an evil smile. "Shouldn't we be testing yours? You're the one who has been off duty for years."

_Oh, that little brat,_ Soi thought. Somehow, Soi restrained herself from saying something too wicked to her new student. "You'll see tomorrow." She watched as her new team left the room.

As the room began to clear out Tsunade handed Soi a folder. Inside was a map giving the new layout of the village, her new address, and a key to her new apartment. "Make Anko show you where you can shop."

"Don't I have to sign anything?"

"I took care of everything. Just go get yourself situated." Soi gave her ex-sensei a soft smile before exiting the room with Anko, leaving Kakashi and Tsunade in the room alone.

"You should have told me that you were bringing her back here." Kakashi said. His voice, his body posture, everything, radiated anger. He took a few steps toward Tsunade, but stopped when he was a few feet away from her. "You should have said something."

"You would have said no. Besides, this wasn't your decision to make," she said flatly.

"And it was yours," he yelled.

"Watch your temper, Hatake. I asked her to come back, that much is true, but I gave her the option to back out. She didn't have to come."

"You know she would come if you called. She would do anything for you."

"She is her own person. She was, is, free to say no."

"That might be true, but she would do anything for someone she loves. The fact that you played on that is what's so astounding." Kakashi stormed towards the door, but was momentarily stopped by Tsunade's voice.

"If I'm not mistake, you did the same thing once."


	4. The New Place

AN: I had a very happy weekend so here are three chapters, but don't get too excited because they're short. And I'll still update next week.

"Spoken" _Thought/Flashback_ **Writing **

Chapter 3: The New Place

"Well, the layout isn't that different," Soi said as she began putting away groceries. "And I can't believe what happened to Asuma and the others. All of this is just crazy."

"You missed one interesting party," Anko said as she began taking the cloth drapings off of the furniture.

"And poor Kakashi with the Uchiha boy."

"Poor Kakashi? Poor me! I'm the one who's been without a drinking buddy who can keep up with me."

Soi and Anko both busted out laughing. Anko snuck up behind her curly haired friend and gave her an overpowering hug from behind. She squeezed so tight that Soi began to make fake gagging sounds. "I give," she said with a laugh.

Anko let her go and sat on the counter next to the groceries. "We're going drinking tonight."

"I'm all for that, but I have so much to do. Once I finished putting to food away you still have to take me shopping for more bathroom stuff, cloths, bed sheets, and a bunch of other stuff."

"Soi, you need to listen up. You don't have a choice. I'll help get everything you need, but you're still coming out tonight." Anko hopped off the counter and headed for the front door. "Put this stuff away and unpack. I'll buy your other supplies."

"You can't carry all of that by yourself," but Anko didn't listen. She was out the door before Soi finished her sentence. "That woman is crazy."

For the next few hours Soi set on cleaning her new apartment. Thankfully Tsunade spared no expense. The place was entirely furnished. There was a long couch against one wall of the living room and a chair to its left. The bed was a double, just the way she liked, and the bathroom had a shower-tub combo. It wasn't large, but it wasn't small either. It was perfect.

Soi neatly put the drapings in a folded pile and stuck them in the hall closet. She unpacked all her belongings from her book bag and put the appropriate items in their own individual places.

Three small pictures frames occupied the nightstand next to her bed. One pictures was of her family. Everyone was smiling happily as the autumn wind blew their hair. Some of the children had huge grins plastered on their faces.

The second one was of her team when she became a genin. Tsunade has a smug look plastered on her face as she stood behind her students. Ichirou was giving Kouki a confused look while Kouki had a laughing Soi hanging on his back.

The final picture was taken a few years later. It was a group picture of most of her Konoha friends. Everyone was smiling and basking in the warm summer sun in the middle of one of Konoha's small parks. Anko were poking an annoyed looking Iruka, Kurenai was laughing at something Asuma said, Guy had his pumped up macho man face on while Genma gave him a confused look, and Kakashi was sitting on a half wall, gently holding Soi in his arms, her arms wrapped around his neck. Both of them were also looking at Guy in amused confusion. They all seemed so happy, so care free.

_Oh, happy days,_ she thought to herself. She remembered that day clearly. It was one of the last happy days she had before her life went to hell.

_Flashback:_

"_That is going to be an awkward picture," Genma said as watched Soi take the camera back from the stranger. He heard her say "thank you" to the strangers as he began to walk away. He went to stand next to Kakashi. "So, how are the two of you holding up?"_

_Kakashi's gaze was fixed on Soi while she was talking to Anko and Iruka. "She's fine so far."_

"_I asked how the two of you are doing. Not just her."_

_A heavy sigh escaped Kakashi's lips as he looked at his friend. "We're fine. Personally, I wouldn't mind hunting down Ichirou and Kouki, but the feline wont let me."_

_Genma let out a booming laugh. "Who ever heard of a dog being whipped by a cat?"_

"_Not all cats are as deadly as her."_

_Soi stole a glance to her left and noticed that Kakashi and Genma were watching her. She strolled over to them and gave them both a devilish grin. "What are you boys up to?"_

"_Just talking about how there is no way that a cat can dominate a dog," Genma said as he lightly kicked Soi's lower leg._

"_Really? What an interesting topic." Her lips pulled back into a mischievous, catlike grin._

"_It's the truth. Cats simply can't do it. They're too small and weak. All they're good for is hunting mice." _

_Kakashi let out a small laugh at Genma. "You're asking for it, Genma," he said as he moved to stand closer to Soi._

_Soi loved playing these games with the boys. She loved getting on their level and beating them at their own game. "Let's make a deal. How about you and I have a little sparing match. I'll represent cats and you can represent dogs. If I win, you have to admit that cats are better. If I lose, I'll give you a kiss," she said teasingly. _

"_No thank you. Even if you happened to win, I'd be more afraid that I'd lose. As hot as you are, I wouldn't want to kiss you. You're lips are a little too deadly for me."_

_Soi turned to give Kakashi a fake pout. "Are my kisses so bad?"_

"_I'm out of this," he answered as he backed away with his hands in the air._

_Soi turned her gaze back to Genma. "Fine. How about a friendly hug?" She stretched out her arms and started to walk closer to Genma._

"_Nope," he said right before he vanished. Soi smiled to herself and lowered her arms. Kakashi came up from behind her and gave he a hug. _

"_You're evil," he said as he rested his chin on the top of her head._

"_That's why you love me."_

_End Flashback_

Soi's moment of peace ended when her front door was slammed open and Anko's booming voice echoed through the apartment. "I'm home," she yelled, "and I brought company." Soi walked into the livingroom to see her old friends carrying bags. Everyone was putting down their bags as Soi stood in the doorway gocking at them.

"I can't believe Anko was telling the truth. You are back from the dead," Genma said as he went to give her a hug. Soi accepted the hug and smiled up at him as they pulled away.

"I thought you were afraid of my hugs."

"Your touch in general, but I wanted to make an exception." Soi giggled and playfully slapped him on the arm.

"Alright, don't hog her," Iruka said as he moved to give her a hug.

"See, Iruka isn't afraid of me," she said to Genma over Iruka's shoulder.

"That's because I learned never to cross you," Iruka said as he let her go.

Soi didn't see Kurenai when she first stepped into the livingroom, but the mumbling bundle in her arms caught Soi's attention. Instantly Soi's eyes snapped to her. "That's not what I think it is, right?"

"That depends," Kurenai said as she stuck out her arms to show Soi the small little person in her arms. "What do you think it is?"

Soi squealed like a little kid and gently took the baby from her arms. "Hello little one," she said softly with a smile. "Aren't you beautiful? Oh, Kurenai, you made a beautiful baby." Kurenai smiled at her long time friend as she watched her interact with the infant.

"Alright, now that everyone has hugged their favorite kitty, we're going out now."

Soi looked around the room at all the bags the filled up her livingroom. She could hardly see the floor. "Uh, Anko. You do realize I have to put all of this away, right?"

"So? Clean it later. Trust me, we got everything for you. All you have to do is get you butt out the door and down to the bar."

"But I want to hold this little angel a little more."

Kurenai lightly tapped on Soi's shoulder. "Actually, it's getting late. I kept him up just so you can see him, but this little man needs to get to bed." Reluctantly, Soi gave the baby back to Kurenai. Everyone said their goodbyes to her as she walked out the door. Soi's eyes landed on Kakashi as she watched Kurenai live the apartment. For a moment she felt nothing, but a second later she felt everything. All the old feelings that she hadn't felt in years. He was leaning on the wall that was close to the front door and although he was wearing a great pokerfaced, she could read him like a book. Just like she knew he could read her.

"Now that you don't have anymore excuses, lets go get drunk." Anko pulled on her arm and ushered all of the others out the door. The moment Soi came close to Kakashi, she froze. She pulled her arm away from Anko and took a step back."

"I need to…get my wallet," she said before she ran to her bedroom.

Anko watched her friend go before she turned her heated stare to Kakashi. "You need to talk to her and fix whatever is going on."

Kakashi pushed off from the walk and started out the door. "Nothing is going on."

Anko grabbed Kakashi's lower arm and glared at him. "I don't know what's going on between you two, but you need to fix it. I get that you didn't know that she was alive, we were all fooled, but you haven't said a word to her. I know her death…leaving was hard on you, but pretending that you don't care isn't going to fix things." There was no joking in her voice, no playful fun. The heated, serious Anko was showing her colors.

Kakashi was about to say something when Soi's footsteps caught his attention. He turned to look at her standing only a few feet from them. "Is everything ok," she asked.

Instantly, playful Anko returned for all the world to see. "It's great. Let's go get drunk!"


	5. Out Tonight

"Spoken" _Thought/Flashback_ **Writing **

Chapter 4: Out Tonight

Kakashi's POV

Sometimes I truly hate Anko. The woman is a great kunoichi, but she can be so damn pushy. She doesn't know anything about what happened. She doesn't know that I always knew that Soi was alive. That I was the reason she left. That I pushed her away.

But Anko is right. I do need to talk her. I need tell her so much. What's been gong on in the village, all of the things that have happened, everything. There was so much that she has missed and I doubt Anko gave her the run down. And if she did, it was a very small one.

We have been drinking for a little over two hours and I still can't take my eyes off of her. She's as beautiful as I remember. The only difference is that her hair is much longer than it use to be. I can remember when it just barely grazed her shoulders. She always complained that she wanted longer hair, but it always grew so slowly.

"Kakashi, did you hear me," Iruka asked.

Kakashi played with the glass in his and as he looked at his friend. "Sorry, what did you say?"

"I said that we should take another picture. Remember the one where we were in the park and Soi scared Genma away?"

"She didn't scare me away, I just had better things to do."

"Lies," Soi said from the other side of the table. "You ran off the second I tried to hug you."

"You wanted to kill me."

"I'd never kill you. You're too entertaining."

Thankfully Soi is a happy drunk. She wasn't drunk yet, but she was passed buzzed. She couldn't sit still and she was smiling more than normal. But if Anko gets her way then I'm sure Soi wont make it back to her place in one piece.

I watched as she stood up and went to dance with the very drunk Anko. Several other girls and a few couples joined their little dancing party. She seems happy. I wonder if it's real? She must be missing her family.

Gai moved from the other side of the booth and came to sit next to me. He wrapped his right arm around me tried to pull me close to him. "Ah, Kakashi, you must be pleased to know that the love of your life has returned to you."

"I'm thrilled," I said flatly.

_If only you knew how happy._

"Why don't you go talk to her my friend? Don't waste your youthful life sitting on the sidelines. She's back and right before you're eyes. Go to her."

"You're drunk."

"As you should be." Guy patted me on the shoulder before he headed to the dance floor. I'll never admit it out loud, but Guy was probably the funniest drunk I know. He always dances, or tries to dance. He looks like a rag doll that is being shaken by a child.

"So, you're not happy she's back," Genma asked.

I let out a sigh is I turned my gaze back to her. "I am happy she back, but it's complicated."

"How so?"

I didn't answer. I didn't want to answer. All I wanted was to watch her. The way her body swayed in time perfectly to the music. How her smile lit up the room.

"Will you at least tell me if you still love her? If not then I might take your little kitten."

"Genma…"

"Guys, lets not fight. Not tonight," Iruka interrupted. "Let's just be happy that she's back."

I gripped the glass in my hand tightly. I'm sure if I squeezed a little harder the glass would brake, but I don't care. Iruka was right. Genma was drunk and didn't know what he was saying, but that did mean I still didn't want to punch the hell out of him for the comment.

We were there for another hour before Soi called it a night. Soi, Anko, and Guy made their way over to the table, stumbling most of the way. "Alright guys, I'm going home. I've gotta get up early tomorrow to meet the team."

"What are you planning on making team Soi do tomorrow," Guy asked.

"Asuma."

"Huh?"

"It's Asuma's team, not mine. I'm just a stand in."

If it is possible, I may have just fallen for her all over again. She is virtually drunk, but she could still think things like that. The best part is, is that I know she means it. She may talk a lot when she's drunk, but I have learned she's also truthful when she is.

Iruka made his way out of the booth and stood next to Soi. "I think I'm going to head home too. I've got school tomorrow."

"You guys are no fun," Genma and Anko said in unison.

"Then you two stay here," Soi said as she gave Anko a lopsided goodbye, then one to Iruka and Guy.

I got out of the booth as well and looked down at her. I knew she wouldn't hug me like she did the others, but her stare was unnerving.

"I'll see you guys later," she said as she waved goodbye to Anko and Genma while the rest of us made our way out of the bar.

The summer air was warm and welcoming. The light breeze moved Soi's hair elegantly. I love the way it danced around her body. "Is my place to the left or the right," she asked.

"Left," Iruka, Guy, and I said at the same time.

She turned to face us and took a few steps backwards as she waved goodbye. "Thanks for the night out boys." Guy and Iruka muttered their goodbyes as the both walked off to the right. Soi elegantly turned on her heals, her back to me, and started down the street. I stood still for a moments and watched her walk before I began to follow her.

Yet again, all I saw was perfection. I love the way she walked, even in her drunken stupor. She always stood tall and confident, but had a slight feline grace to her. "Why are you following me," she asked. She didn't turn to look at me or stop when she asked. She simply continued to go forward.

"I live this way."

"No you don't."

"Yes, I do. I live two blocks away from you."

"Fantastic," she muttered. I sped up a bit so I could walk beside her. I noticed that her body was swaying slightly and she stumbled almost every other step. She raised one of her hands and placed it on her forehead. "My head is killing me."

"You probably shouldn't have had so much, so fast."

"It was a party. A bar party. What else was I supposed to do?"

"Not drink so fast."

"You're no fun."

"I'm tons of fun."

"You use to be."

Silence passed between us for a while as we continued to walk down the street. When her apartment came into view I decided that now was as good as time as any to say something.

"Soi, we need to talk."

"I don't want to hear it."

"We're going to have to talk about it some time."

"No we don't." Now we were standing outside her door. She tried, unsuccessfully, several times to get the key in the door. By her fifth try I took the key from her and unlocked the door myself. "Thank you."

"We do need to talk about this."

"No, Kakashi, we don't." As she tried to enter the house, she tripped over the doorframe and began to fell forward. Before she hit the ground I grabbed her and held her close to my body.

For a moment time seemed to stand still. I felt whole again. Like the piece of me that had been missing had just returned. She was gone, but now she's back and this time I plan on not letting her go. Part of me was surprised that she didn't fight me at first, she simple let me hold her. Perhaps that's because she looked liked she was about to pass out in my arms. Her eyelids were half closed and her legs weren't supporting her as well as they should have been. "You can let go now Kakashi."

_Never. I wont let go again._

I picked her up off the ground and carried her into the house, being careful not to step on any of the bags as I went. I walked back to the bedroom and laid her on the bed, and then I went into the livingroom to get her comforter and a pillow. By the time I came back in she already passed out. She had curled up into a little ball, her hair acting as a blanket for most of her body. I gently put the comforter over her and placed the pillow under her head. I forgot how innocent she looked when she slept. Her breaths were coming in and out in a rhythmical pattern that I had once fallen asleep to.

As I turned to leave the pictures on her nightstand caught my eye. The first one I saw was the one of her as a genin. Those days had long since passed, but I could remember them clearly. The next was the one of her family. I couldn't help but smile at the photo. Her family had been nothing, but kind to me. They practically adopted me. It was nice to see how big her family had gotten since they moved away. But the last one was the one that held my gaze.

It was the group photo of all of us in the park. Back when Asuma was still alive and before Soi's life was flipped upside down. It was the same day she made Genma run away from the threat of a kiss. Or was it a hug? Either way, Genma was afraid of her touch.

_Flashback:_

_After she scared Genma off I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her back against my chest. "You're evil," I said as I rested my chin on the top of her head._

"_That's why you love me," she said as she turned in my arms to face me. She smiled up at me with those big brown eyes of hers._

"_That's part of the reason." I gave her beautiful forehead a kiss through my mask and squeezed her tightly. Her arms snaked their way around me and held me close. I could feel her breathing slow as it often did when we embraced. We probably would've stayed like that longer if Guy hadn't decided to join in on the hug. _

_End Flashback_

I stole a glance at her sleeping form one last time. I wanted so much stay beside her, to sleep the night away next to her, but I knew I couldn't. If I wanted her back, then I was going to have to take step. I hate steps.


	6. Grumpy Mornings

"Spoken" _Thought/Flashback/Dream_ **Writing **

Chapter 5: Grumpy Mornings

Soi's POV

"_I count six," Ichirou said casually as his pale eyes roamed over our opponents. He scratched the back of his head, messing up short blond hair._

"_Oh look, he can count," Kouki said as he cracked his knuckles._

"_Now, now boys," I teased as I glanced at my teammates. "You can argue later."_

_One of the enemy jounin took a few steps towards us. "We're willing to not start a fight if you come with us willingly." _

_Kouki, the tall, muscular brunet standing to my right smirked. "Where's the fun in that?" Kouki turned to look at me. His bright violet eyes held flickers of mischief in them. "Can we have fun now?"_

_I gave him a playful smile. "Have at it boys."_

_As soon as the words left my lips Ichirou's body went limp and fell to the ground. He used his Mind Body Switch Jutsu and possessed an enemy's body. Kouki instantly appeared before Ichirou while I charged the jounin. I could feel Kouki's eyes on me as I zig-zagged between the enemy. One of them was stupid enough to grab me. His screams echo into the air as he cried out in pain. I watched him momentarily as he fell to the ground, holding his arm in pain._

"_What did she do," on of the enemies said. Before any of them could react I bent down to my fallen enemy and put my hands on both of his legs. I used just enough of my jutsu to damage his leg muscles so he could get up, causing him to scream in pain again._

_Two enemies began to charge me, but I jumped out of the way before they could get me. However, I was stupid and let my guard down. I let out a loud grunt as I felt several kunai stab me in the back._

My eye flew open the second I felt the pain. Or at least I thought I felt pain. As I slowly sat up I took in my surroundings. I was lying on my bed in my empty room. I looked out the lone window to see what time it was. The sun wasn't yet over the trees, so I still had some time before I had to meet my team. However, the morning breeze did feel good.

_Wait…what?_

Slowly, I got off the bed and move to the window. "Why are you open," I muttered to the inanimate object before me. I closed the window and lightly tapped the glass before trudging to the livingroom.

I let out a groan as I looked at all of the bags on the floor. I hate cleaning. It was boring and time consuming, but most of all boring. I rummaged through the countless number of bags until I found what I wanted. Thankfully Anko remembered my taste. All of my towels and washcloths were either black, red, or light blue. Anko also remember the type of things I was with. "Oh, Anko. You're so good to me." I gathered all of my bathroom supplies and ran to the bathroom.

I quickly stripped my cloths and got in the shower. The hot water felt so good against my body. For a while all I did was stand there and let the heat consume me.

When it was finally time to get out of the shower I was a little reluctant to put my cloths not. It's not that I had a problem with cloths, but I usually enjoy felling free in the morning. However, I knew I had to get ready so I could go meet my team.

As I headed for the bedroom I heard a knock coming from the front door.

"Come in!"

Silence filled the apartment until I heard the knocking sound again.

"Come in!"

"The door is locked."

_Kakashi?_

I tightened my grip on the towel and walked to the front do. _I don't remember locking this._ I unlocked the door and let in the bright light of the sun.

Kakashi had his hands in his pockets and his hair was as messy as usual. He crinkled his one visible eye and I could see the outlines of his lips pull into a small smile. "Is this how you greet everyone? Wet and half naked?"

_Asshole._

"Only to those who interrupt my morning routine. You should know that better than anyone." He simply shrugged and waltzed in the door. I wanted so badly to grab him and throw him out into the street, but I took the high road…somehow. I closed and went to stand in the middle of the room. "What do you want," I bit out.

"After all this time you're still an angry grump in the morning."

"Kakashi."

"We need to talk."

"Not now we don't. It's too early and I need to meet up with my team."

"Can't you be late?'

I let a chuckle fall from my lips as I turned to walk to my bedroom. "Unlike some people I enjoy being on time. If I'm in a good mood I might even be early." When I was safe inside my room I closed the door, but left it open a crack so I could hear him.

"Tsunade moved your meeting to one of the training halls. She wants to see how out of shape you are."

I froze in place at his words. "Test me! What the hell? Does she really think that I've lost my touch?"

"Perhaps. You have been off the radar for a while. Have you lost your touch?"

"NO!"

"Hey, don't yell at the messenger."

When I finally emerged from the bedroom I saw him sitting on the couch with his feet resting on my coffee table. "Do you mind," I asked as I pointed to his feet.

"That more skin is showing then when you were in the towel? Not at all."

I scowled at him before I took a breath to calm myself. Sadly, he was right. I was wearing short dark blue shorts and a baby blue tank top. My kekkei genkai forces me to wear little clothing, but that is a small price to pay for my wonderfully destructive gift.

"Kakashi, get your feet off my coffee table." Like the good little dog that I know he could be, he removed his feet. I went to the kitchen and poured myself a glass of milk and grabbed a fruit bar out of the cupboard. "So, what happened last night?"

"What don't you remember?"

I took a swig of my milk before answering him. "We were standing outside of the apartment and that's all I've got."

"You passed out in my arms. I put you to bed, locked your front door, and left out your window."

"Huh. That explains why the window was open. But why lock the front door and leave the window open?"

"Because you like to feel night breeze." Part of me hated him for remembering that. Part of me hated him for making himself comfortable in my home. But most of all, I hated myself for enjoying his company.

"Thank you," I said honestly.

"Any time."

"Can you show me where I'm supposed to go?" I hated having to rely on him, but I needed to know where to go.

"Didn't Tsunade give you a map of the village?" I hate mornings. In the morning I always had to think extra hard about things. It took me a moment to remember that she did give me a map. Kakashi got a good laugh at my expense. I'm sure my facial expressions were rather amusing as I tried to recall all of yesterday's events. "Don't worry. It's the morning, you're prone to forget." In the blink of an eye Kakashi was off the couch and standing next to me. "I'll take you if you promise me something."

"That depends on what it is."

"Talk to me."

"Gah, you're so damn persistent."

"That's why you love me."

_No. No fucking way! Did he just use my line against me! _

"How is it…that you always…know how to get under my skin?" I had trouble getting the words out. The second he said the word love, I wanted to murder him. All I saw was red…and his body limp in a dark corner somewhere. Either way, he was right…unfortunately. Now that I'm back I need things to be as easy as possible. If, for some unholy reason, Tsunade would put us on a mission together I need to be able to work well with him. "Fine. Come over at six. I should have most of this cleaned up by then." I started towards the front door, Kakashi close behind.

As we walked down the street my mind began to wonder as I munched of my fruit bar. How was my mom? I had only been gone a few days, but I knew that she must have been counting the minutes. What other funny things had Sango said or done? Did Jiro see a doctor about his back yet? I missed my family. I missed them like crazy, but there wasn't much I could do. I could write to them, but that wasn't the same.

"Do you know why the morning is the best part of the day," Kakashi asked.

I'm sure he could hear my eyes rolling in my head. "Because it's the best time of day to get on my nerves."

"Did I tell you that one before?"

I hate mornings.


	7. Skill Tester

"Spoken" _Thought/Flashback/Dream_ **Writing **

Chapter 6: Skill Tester

When they reached the training hall all of the teams that had been summoned the previous day were already waiting for them. The only person who was missing was Tsunade.

"Is there a reason these other teams had to come," Ino asked her new sensei after ending her current conversation with Sakura.

"Your guess is as good as mine."

Sakura glanced around the room, taking in how similar it looked to the room Ino and herself spared in during the Chunin Exams. "I feel like I should be training for an exam."

"Don't worry. Your match won't be as critical as the Chunin Exams," Tsunade said as she entered the room. Everyone gave her their full attention, ready to receive their orders. "I asked all of you here for two reasons. First, I want all of you to see how Soi operates in battle. Study her, learn her strengths and weaknesses. You never know if you have to partner up with her some day. Second, I am giving all of you are going to fight her. This way I can see how much her skill has dropped since she left."

"My skill level hasn't dropped," Soi protested.

Tsunade gave her favorite ex-student a smug smirk. "We'll see. I'll split you up into four teams-"

"Why can't we stay in the teams we're normally in," Naruto interrupted.

"Because it's good practice for you to work with other people. The first team will be Ino, Kiba, and Sai. Second team will be Choji, Shino, and Lee. Third team, Hinata, Sakura, and Neji. The last team will be Shikamaru, Naruto, and Tenten."

Tsunade started towards the steps that led up to the rafters, followed by the jounin and teams two through four. When she reached the top she turned to look at the fighters below her. Soi was at one end of the room while Ino, Kiba, and Sai were on the other end, coming up with a battle tactic. "One more thing. Once you figure out Soi's fighting method do not tell anyone outside your own team. Let the others figure it out for themselves. Also, if you feel a light zap you cannot use that part of your body anymore. If the zap occurs on a critical part of your body, you're out. Am I understood, Soi? Lightly." Her reply was a nod and an eye roll.

"What do you mean by zap," Kiba asked from down below.

"You'll see. Ready on my mark." The three chunin took their fighting stances. Soi stood perfectly still, not even bothering to look like she should be ready for battle. "Start."

Within a split second Soi's hand was lightly holding Ino's neck. She sent a small little zap into Ino's skin so she wouldn't hurt her. Then she took the blond by the arm and flung her in Sai's direction. Sai caught Ino gracefully as Soi jumped out of the way of Kiba's attack.

"How am I out already," Ino protested. She stormed up the steps and watched the fight with the rest of her friends.

Kiba, Akamaru, and Sai moved to stand a good distance away from Soi. They silently contemplated their next move with what little time she gave them. Soi was about to spring forward, but was stopped when she noticed that a giant ink snake was wrapped around the lower part of her left leg.

Kiba charged forward, closely followed by Akamaru. As they quickly approached, Soi tried anxiously to shake the snake from her leg, but it didn't move. When Kiba reached her, he knocked her backwards, making her fall to the ground.

From the corner of her eye, Soi noticed that more ink animals were coming her way. She quickly made hand singles to summon one of her wind techniques. A powerful gust of wind flew out of her mouth and projected Kiba and Akamaru into the air. Before the other ink creatures to get to her, Soi reached down and placed her hand on the ink snake that had started making its way up her leg. With little to no effort she pushed some chakra into it snake and watched it melted into a helpless puddle.

Soi used her quick footing to dash around Sai's strange jutsu and headed straight for him. As Sai took his defensive stance, Kiba and Akamaru came from behind her with their Fang Passing Fang attack. She quickly jumped out of the way and allowed Kiba and Akamaru to hit their comrad.

While the boys tried to regain their composure, Soi approached them from behind and lightly zapped the back of their heads. Kiba muttered a sound of annoyance while Sai flinched from the feeling.

Tsunade let out a heavy sigh of disappointment. She was secretly hopping that Soi would have finished the match sooner. "You two are out. Team two, you're up."

As team one and team two switched positions, Neji and Shikamaru's eyes never left Soi. They watched her as she walked back to her starting point as if nothing had ever happened. Although the fight ended quickly, she wasn't even breathing heavy.

Team two didn't do any better than team one. Once Tsunade gave the order to start the fight, it was all out war. Soi didn't give them time to talk and plan out how they should go about beating her. Although she was holding back, she wanted to teach them how fast a battle could be. She knew that the chunin before her must have seen some hectic battles, but she wanted to instill in them that sometimes you don't have the opportunity to talk things over.

Her personal favorite to fight was Lee, mainly for two reasons. First, he was faster than her. Soi was a fast girl, remarkably so, but was not as fast as Lee and Guy. She enjoyed the challenge of having to keep up. Second, Lee was a taijutsu user. She loved taijutsu users because they were the easiest for her to beat.

Once Lee was taken care of, Chouji and Shino stood as her next victims. Chouji was easy enough to take down because of his expansion jutsu, but Shino annoyed her. Not only did she constantly have to use her wind abilities to disrupt his bugs, but also one of them went up her noise. That feeling always freaked her out and she was more than happy when she disqualified him from the match.

Team three lasted a bit longer, but only because Soi decided to play with them. Neji had informed his team during the second match that he believed Soi was a strong lightning user, but she only uses close range attacks. Soi allowed the Hyuga's to come close to hitting her while Sakura would try to hit her with kunai from afar. Neji was good enough to get a one clean shot to Soi's stomach, but she quickly turned is momentary win into his ultimate loss. Hinata was next to receive Soi's wrath. The Hyuga put up a good fight, but she fell quickly, leaving only Sakura.

"You need to learn to throw your punches faster," the curly haired woman informed as she effortlessly dodged Sakura's punches. Their little dance continued for several minutes until Soi decided that she was done playing with the pink haired Hercules. As Sakura threw her final punch, Soi moved to the side, grabbed Sakura's shoulder and then hit her in the chest. A light zap was sent into Sakura's shoulder then one next to her heart.

"Can you try not to kill my student," Tsunade barked as she watched Sakura ascended the stairs, one hand resting on the painful spot on her chest where Soi hit her.

Soi rolled her eyes as she went back to her starting position and team four made their way to the floor. "It was only a little zap and she's still alive. What more do you want?"

"For you not to send her heart into overdrive."

Right before team four hit the floor Shikamaru stopped them. "I think I understand what her ability is. Either she is a close range lighting user or she does something else through touch. Either way, we can't touch her."

"If we can't touch her, then how are we supposed to beat her," Naruto asked as he snuck a peak at the woman patiently waiting for them.

"Tenten, you're good at long range weapons. See if you can hit her or at least wear her out. Naruto, you follow Tenten. Use as many long range attacks as possible."

"What about you," Tenten asked as she readjusted the giant scroll on her back.

"I'll be doing the same. I have some kunai with exploding tags to force her to keep moving. We have to keep her at a distance where she can't get to us, but close enough for me to use my shadow jutsu." Naruto and TenTen both nodded their heads in agreement.

"Are you guys ready yet," Soi yelled from her position.

Tsunade was going to tell Soi to be patient, but she was getting antsy for this next fight too. "You can start whenever you want. They're taking too long."

All Soi heard was, "you may start." She didn't let the trio reach the floor before she sprang in their direction. Her target, Shikamaru. She knew what a Nara could do and she needed to take him out before he got the chance to pin her down.

The chunin jumped out of her path right before she could get to them. Tenten and Naruto began to bombard her with kunai and shuriken. The weapons were easy enough to dodge, but they prevented her from reaching her target. This went on for several minutes before Soi decided she had enough. _I bet there keeping me at a distance so Shikamaru has a clear shot at me,_ she thought.

There was split second of calm between the rain of weapons that Soi used to her advantage. Her hands moved so fast that her hand signals were almost unreadable. A powerful gust of wind flew out of her mouth and stopped the second rain of weapons that hurled toward her. The weapons flew back at Naruto and TenTen, forcing them to dodge and retreat to the farther end of the room. For some extra support she sent several fireballs at them, just to keep them busy.

Shikamaru saw the momentary opening Soi unintentionally gave him and took it. He threw several kunai, and then used his signature seal to activate his shadow jutsu. She just barely dodged the kunai and took several steps outside his shadow range. However, when she went to spring forward again her body remained still.

As the dust began to settle around Naruto and Tenten, both of them readied themselves to strike again. "Don't bother," Shikamaru said for his corner of the room. "She's not going anywhere." The overly confident Nara stuck his hands in his pockets and started to walk towards his new prisoner. A mixture of annoyance and amusement evident on the captors face.

"I do believe he's used that technique before," Kakashi said as he finally averted his eyes from the Icha Icha book he had been reading since the starting of the battles.

"Hey, whatever works," Ino cheered with glee. "He was the only one fast enough to beat her."

Kurenai stole a quick glance at the young blond before returning her gaze to those below. "It had nothing to do with speed, just a well executed trap. Shikamaru was wise to take the route he did. He noticed that Soi was targeting him and only attacked Naruto and TenTen so she wouldn't have to bother with an outside distraction." The beautiful genjutsu user turned her gaze to the Hokage. "So, does she pass your test?"

Tsunade smirked as she crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Not with flying colors, but enough for her to stay the leader of team 10."

When Shikamaru finally reached Soi, he gave her a small smirk of victory. He picked up the kunai that was stuck in her shadow and released her from her temporary prison.

"I didn't know the Nara clan could do something like that," she said with a grin of approval.

"I invented it when…when I was on a mission."

Soi moved forward and lightly placed her hand on top of Shikamaru's head and ruffled his hair in a loving manner. Shikamaru quickly moved away from her before she could do much damage. "I love it. You and I are going to have a lot of fun together." Her grin of approval turned into a mischievous smirk, one that didn't make Shikamaru feel safe to stand around her.

"That's enough," Tsunade said from above. "Now, does anyone have any idea what her ability might be?"

Naruto waved his hand violently in the air, like a child begging the teacher to pick him. "She's a close range lightning user. And air…and fire." He turned to look at the woman who seemed oddly proud for just losing a match to a group of chunin. "Wow, you know three elemental jutsus. You're awesome."

Soi played with a strand of her long curly hair as she gave Naruto a halfhearted smile. "Nope. I only use wind and fire."

"If she only uses wind and fire, how could she zap us the way she did," Sakura asked Tsunade.

Tsunade nodded to Soi, giving her the go ahead to explain. Soi took out a kunai from her pouch and held it flat in the palm of her hand. With just a little bit of chakra the kunai exploded into little bits. Needles to say, everyone who didn't know her ability was slightly taken back. "With the simplest touch I can make anything my skin comes in contact with explode. Or if I'm feeling merciful I could simply damage ligaments and muscles, or even give a person a slight zap."

"And you let her touch us," Naruto protested. "She could've killed us!"

"Now, now, give me some credit. If anything Sakura should be angry. I zapped her near the heart. By the way, I'm sorry for that. I got too wrapped up in the heat of the moment."

"Uh, no problem," the pink haired girl muttered. "Wait, if anything that touches her skin explodes, then how does, uh…her cloths stay on?"

"Yeah, why isn't she naked." Tenten punched the blond next to her on the back of the head and muttered a, "shut up," to his question.

"Well, aren't you a pervert," Soi said as she gave the boy an annoyed look. "Thanks to Tsunade-sensei, I've learned to focus my chakra to a specific point so I don't have to constantly buy new cloths." She turned her gaze upward in order to receive Tsunade's final decision. "So, do I pass your little test, sensei, or do I get to go back home?"

"Unfortunately, you pass," Tsunade's sarcastic voice rang. "Now that all matches are complete, you are all dismissed." With that, Tsunade began to descend the stairs to leave the building.

"So that's it," Kiba asked skeptically.

Tsunade turned to give everyone a small wave goodbye before saying, "that's it." Then she was gone.

The giant room well silent for a few short moments before Hinata broke the silence. "What do we do now?"

"Well, I told team ten that we were going to train at the fields, so that's what we're going to do," Soi said as she started walking towards the door.

"Oh, come one. We all just went a round with you. Can't we call it a day," Ino protested as she, along with everyone else on the balcony, headed towards the stairs.

"You didn't use any chakra, so stop complaining. And if you do well enough I'll take you guys out to eat."

"Uh, I wouldn't say that if I were you," Shikamaru warned his new sensei.

"Why?"

Chouji quickly appeared at Soi's side, pumped up and filled with excitement. "Do we get to go to barbeque?"

"If that's what you guys want."

"You shouldn't have said that," Shikamaru said as he rubbed the back of his head.

Soi cocked her head to the side and looked at him curiously. "Why? It doesn't seem like you guys would eat that much."

\/\/

Yes, I did use the move Shikamaru used against Hidan and Kakuzu. When I fist saw that episode…uh! It was great. I have always loved Shikamaru, but that episode made me a die hard fan.


	8. Lies

"Spoken" _Thought/Flashback/Dream_ **Writing **

Chapter 7: Lies

Soi's POV  
>I'll admit, I love my new team. Normally I don't like people so easily, but these guys are the best. They're so fun and easy to mess with. I could push Ino's buttons all day, Shikamaru is fun to poke fun at, and Chouji was hilarious when I threatened to take his snacks away. Today's training went rather well. I got to learn a bit about their group and individual fighting styles. I must say, Asuma did a great job training them. Sure, there are some things we still need to work on, but all and all they were pretty good.<p>

When I got home, several dollars poorer, I was hit with the realization that I still had to clean my place. "I hate cleaning," I muttered into the air as I went to stand next to the bags. "This is going to take forever." I pondered where I should start first until a brilliant idea popped into my head.

I bit my thumb hard enough to make it bleed and quickly made my favorite hand signals. There was a faint thud sound when my hand hit the ground. Black markings spilled out of my hand and a puff of white smoke covered a small section of the floor. When the smoke cleared my favorite shorthaired Abyssinian cat looked up at me with her beautiful blue eyes. "Its about time you summoned me."

"I'm sorry, Kai. I've just been a little busy lately."

"A little? You haven't summoned me since you left your family to come back here." Kai turned to look at the pile of bags stacked behind her. "What's with all of the bags?"

"That's actually why I summoned you here." Kai turned to glare at her handler. "And just to spend time with you of course. I need someone to talk to while I put this stuff away. Ya know, just to make the time go faster."

Kai let out a heavy sigh as she began rummaging through the bags. "I'd ask why you haven't summoned Nana or Chihiro, but how could you in such a small place?"

"Hey, this place is perfect for me."

"And for me too, but the other will get overly jealous if I'm here all the time and you don't even say hello to them."

I walked to the bags and picked up the ones with cleaning supplies in them. "I'll do that tomorrow during training. It'll be fun to see what the team thinks of them."

"I'm sure none have them have seen big cats before. At least ones like them," Kai said as she followed me to the hallway closet. "Who is in your new squad? Genma? Kurenai? Anyone so long as that dog isn't with you. Either way, I'm sure you're happy to be back with ANBU."

"Actually, I'm a squad leader for a chunin group. I have the newest generation of Ino-Shika-Cho."

"That must be fun." Her bright eyes flicked to me when she finally stopped rummaging through the bags. "What are you hiding?" She rubbed up the side of my leg as her beautiful eyes looked up at me.

"What do you mean?"

"You bit your lip before answering. You only do that when you are trying to keep something from me."

Damn, I was caught. I didn't even know I did that. I only do it when I'm trying to hide something from my mom or grandma. "I don't want to tell you. You'll get made at me."

"I'll be even angrier if you don't."

Her little body didn't move as I stepped over her to put more things away. "Kakashi is coming over," I muttered in a low tone. I silently prayed that she wouldn't hear me, but I knew she could. I found a bag full of dishes and moved to put them away. Kai jumped up on the counter next to me and glared.

"Why is that dog coming over? There is no reason for him to be around you." I'm not sure what's worse, her heated gaze or her tone. I have never heard her yell, but her strict tone always made me shiver.

"He said he needed to talking to me about what happened."

"We all know what happened. He turned his back on you. He told you to leave."

"I know, Kai."

This long, repetitive conversation went on the entire time I cleaned the house. No matter how hard I tried she wouldn't let the conversation die. I was as angry with Kakashi as she was, but I understood where she was coming from. She never left my side those nights I cried myself to sleep. Even before he told me to leave, when things with Kouki and Ichirou were bad, she never left my side. She is more loyal than a dog ever could be.

By four o'clock I had finished putting everything away. I took a great deal of pride in how well the house looked. I'm not one for excessive cleaning, so whenever things are nice and tidy my world seems a little bit bigger. However, the day wasn't done yet. I headed to the kitchen and started making dinner, Kai beside me the entire time. Thankfully the conversation turned to what I planned on doing for training and when I was going to introduce Kai to Kurenai's baby. It's funny, Kai hates most children, but she loves babies.

When five-thirty rolled around the food was finished. It was no surprise that I cooked too much. I had grown accustom to cooking for a large number of people that I forgot that it was just me now. _Oh well. Leftover for a week wont be so bad._

I poured Kai a small cup of milk and set it on the coffee table before moving to sit on the couch. My bowl of kare raisu sitting on my lap as we talked about the other cat summons while we ate. Right at six o'clock a knock came from my door. Kai and I exchanged curious glances. "Are you expecting someone," she asked before returning to her milk.

"Only Kakashi, but he's never on time." The bowl hit the table with a light clank as I sat it down. When I opened the door I was a little shocked to see Kakashi standing before me. "You're here."

"You told me to be."

"Yeah, but you're never on time." I pushed the door open a bit more and let him in. Him being here worried me. He was never on time unless something was wrong. "Do you want something to eat? I made too much."

Kakashi muttered a, "no thank you," as me moved into the living room. "Hello Kai," he said with a hidden smile. Kai responded simply by nodding. Personally, I expected her to hiss or get up and leave the room. I'm sure it didn't pass Kakashi's notice that she wasn't happy to see him.

I picked up my bowl and sat it back on my lap as I sat in my comfy chair, forcing Kakashi to sit on the couch by himself. I saw that he was contemplating where to begin, so I made the initiative to start. "Before we talk about what happen I want to know what's be going on. Who exactly is this Sasuke boy? What happened to Jiraiya? Everything." He looked at me for a moment, studying me. Probably to determine if I was putting of the conversation or not.

"Anko didn't tell you?"

I scoffed before answer. "She said and I quote, 'you didn't miss much. The Sand attacked, Kakashi's student went rouge, Tsunade became Hokage, the Akatsuki attacked, good guys won, and somewhere along the line Jiraiya died.'" I chuckled as I watched him lightly shake his head.

"She does have an elegant way of putting things." His body relaxed into the couch before he began his story. Part of me was surprised how much I missed, but the other part wasn't. Konoha is a shinobi and is prone to having some bad luck. But some of the things he said…some of the things made my heart hurt.

At some point during the story I finished my food. Kai now replaced my bowl as we sat on the chair together. Even though she was terribly agitated with him, she clung to Kakashi's every word. "I wish Tsunade would have brought me back sooner."

"She couldn't. How was she to know if Ichirou and Kouki were still live?"

"It wouldn't have mattered. This is my home. I grew up here. I had a right to know."

"I'm surprised you didn't hear about it."

My fingers began to trace the back of Kai's head as I tore my gaze away from him. Her head instinctively tilted up as I scratched behind her ears. "I only knew bits and pieces. The place I was in never had problems. It's a small village without any shinobi. Or at least none that they knew of," I said with a slight smirk. "I heard that some of the villages were having trouble with rouge shinobi, but I never guess it was the Leaf."

The room once again went silent. My mind went back to my family and the happy little village they were in. For the most part, there was no crime there. Sure, there was an occasional fight or theft, but all and all it was a very peaceful place. I finally looked back up at him when I heard his body shift on the couch.

"I heard you tell Tsunade that you wanted to die that night." His voice was low and cold when he spoke. "You couldn't have put that any other way?"

I instantly knew what he meant. The night I left Tsunade came into my hospital room. She told me that the Third and herself came up with a plan to put my family and I in hiding. They'd fake my death and my family would move away out of grief. At first I told her no, but after my conversation with Kakashi I told her that I wanted to die. "I needed to keep the mood light. Saying, 'I want to go into hiding,' didn't sound dramatic enough." I tried to give him a smile, but my lips wouldn't move. That day was the worst day of my life and those words, besides their double meaning, were true. I did want to die. I wanted the pain to stop. I didn't want to burden anyone anymore. I didn't want my existence to cause any more trouble.

"And saying that made the mood light?" I shrugged my shoulders and looked back down at Kai. "I lied to you that night." My eyes instantly snapped to his. The one thing in life that I couldn't stand was being lied to.

"What about?"

He seemed slightly hesitant to answer. "That night, when I went to visit you, you told me what Tsuande told you, but I already knew what she had planned. All she needed was for me to back it up."

_Flashback  
>My head was turned to the right as I looked out the window. It was raining outside and I was stuck inside. I wanted more than anything to go play in the rain, but I stuck in the hospital bed. Rainy days were my happy days and I was far from being happy. My body still hurt, but my shoulder hurt the most.<em>

_My attention flew to the door as I heard it open. Tsunade walked in and closed the door behind her. "How are you feeling?"_

"_My body still feels numb and my shoulder's killing me, but I'm good." Her face was flat and emotionless. When she didn't speak I became nervous. "How's my brother? Is he ok?"_

"_A few burses, but that's all." She sat on the foot of my bed, here eyes never leaving my face. "He should thank his sister for taking such a beating for him."_

_I gave her a reassuring smile. Partly to lighten the mood and the other because my brother was safe. "I'd take a beating for him any time." _

_Her eyes seemed so distant, so sad. I wanted to reach out and hug her, but I still couldn't move my arms without a bolt of pain shooting through me. "The Third and I have come up with an idea. Don't interrupt, just listen. You were in bad shape when you arrived here. Bad enough that you could've died." I noticed that she flinched slightly when she said the last part. "Why don't you…why don't you take the opportunity you're injuries gave you? The only people who know you're alive are the Third and myself. I can write a report saying that you died. We'll move you to a small village in the middle of no where, where no one will find you. We'll inform your family and tell them to move to the same village. They can say they're leaving out of grief. This will give you a chance to…," but she didn't finish. Her eyes fell to the floor and her hands turned into stone fists._

"_I can't just leave, sensei. What about Ichirou and Kouki? What about my friends? What about Kakashi?"_

"_Forget them! Forget everything! We'll take care of Ichirou and Kouki. All you need to worry about is living." She quickly stood up and moved to the door. "Think about it," and with that she left. I heard her mumble something right outside the door, but I couldn't catch it._

_A few minutes later Kakashi crept into the room. I gave him a loving smile as he walked to my bedside. I tried to sit up a little more, but my body wouldn't let me. "Don't move," he ordered as he sat in the chair next to me._

"_How did you know what room I was in," I asked. _

"_I checked the normal rooms and when I didn't find you I figured you were moved somewhere secure." That wasn't much of a shock. Leave it to Kakashi it break into the secure part of the hospital._

_Before I answered I took a good, long look at him. His facial expressions mirrored Tsunade's. He seemed distant. "Sorry you had to come to the hospital. I know how much you hate it here." When he didn't say anything I decided to try another approach. I told him Tsunade's crazy plan and that I turned her down. "I'm surprised she even thought of such a thing."_

"_I think you should take the offer." My eyes grew wide as my heart sank at his words. Was he telling me to leave? "Think about it, Soi. The only reason any of this is happening is because you wont do what they want. The village is under attack and it's all because you simply wont go with them." I think for a moment I stopped breathing. The person sitting before me, the one I gave my heart, soul, and body to was turning his back on me. "You should leave."_

_Those three little words shattered my world. Ever since Kouki and Ichirou started causing trouble Kakshi had a few ups and downs, but nothing bad enough for him to go this far. "But…Kakashi, come on. This is ridiculous." My voice began to break with each word. I tried my hardest to hide the pain, but I couldn't. Crying was never my thing, but his words cut me so deep. And the way he said it…it was so cold._

_He stood from his seat, both hands in his pockets, and started for the door. His hand rested on the doorknob, turning it ever so gently. Before he opened the door he turned to look at me one last time. Anger and hate shot out of his one visible eye. "Get out of the Leaf. We don't need anymore trouble." The door opened and then closed, him being on the other side._

_It was so difficult to breath. When he left it felt like he took all the air out of the room. I wanted to cry, but at the same time I wanted to be strong. I didn't know what to do or say. About an hour later Tsunade came back, her face no better than it was before. "I want to die."  
>End Flashback<em>

At this point my hands were glued together, fingers intertwined and pressed against my chest. I started doing this when I first started using my kekkei genkai. This way I wouldn't touch something and accidently destroy it. "I stood by the door when she first went to talk to you and stayed by it until she came back." Kai jumped from my lap as I pulled my knees to my chest. My head rested on my knees as he continued to speak. "It killed me to say that to you. I didn't want you to leave, but at the same time I wanted you as far away as possible. I wanted you away from them. I wanted you safe." My body started shaking lightly. I wanted so badly, so damn badly to yell at him. To kick and scream and utterly destroy him. "I'm sorry."

"Get out," I mumbled, knowing full well that he could hear me perfectly.

"Soi-"

My head snapped up and I glared at him. "Don't! Not another world! You lied to me. Both of you planed this. You never had to lie. You could've told me the truth and I would've gone along with it." I bolted out of the chair and flew to the door. I held it open, waiting for him to get the hint. I needed him to leave before I did something stupid.

Slowly, he made his way from the cough to the door. He stopped in front of me, his body slightly hunched over. I glared up at him as his sad filled eye looked down at me. "I still love you, Soi."

Before I realized what I did, my hand grabbed him by the shoulder and roughly pushed him out the door. "Fuck you!" The loud slam of the door echoed through the apartment. Stomping sounds followed me as I stormed to the bedroom, the pitter-patter of Kai's paws close behind. I sat in the middle of the bed and looked out the window, it was raining. I tried desperately to keep from breaking down, knowing that it was the last thing I needed, but all of my walls crumbled like a house of cards. My body fell backwards and my head hit the pillows as a few tears ran down my face.

Kai moved to my head and lightly placed a paw on my foreheads. Her kind gesture made my tears flow faster. I turned on my side, my front facing her, and I started to cry. "I hate him, Kai," I managed to choke out between sobs. "I hate him so much, but I can't stop loving him. Why can't I stop?"

I felt the bed shift as Kai moved. She curled up into a little ball and laid next to my neck. That night, like so many nights before, she didn't leave my side.

Kakashi's POV  
>I couldn't judge her for being angry with me. In fact, I'm a little surprised she didn't kill me. My shoulder was screaming in pain from where she grabbed me. Whether she meant to or not, my entire arm and shoulder felt like someone had just torn off my arm from using her ability. As I walked down the street the sky decided to make my day worse. The rain was a nice relief on my arm, but it didn't fix the pain in my chest.<p>

Before I knew it I was at the gravestone. I stood there for hours looking at it. The names of those I've lost seemed to speak to me as they always did. I could hear them shouting disapprovals at me. Obito and Rin were telling me not to give up hope. Jiraiya and Asuma were joking that I was having a "marital spat." The one voice that was silent was the one that should have never been etched into the stone. The name that could never speak because she never really died.

_**Mouki Soi**_


	9. Information

"Spoken" _Thought/Flashback/Dream_ **Writing **

Chapter 8: Information

Soi's POV  
>My anger got the best of me that day. I was so angry at Kakashi and Tsunade that I took my frustration out on the team. Training that day was a living hell. By the time we were done it looked like the others had been on a mission, not at practice.<p>

"Are all of our training session going to be like this," an exhausted Ino asked. All three of them were lying on the ground, panting. I was sitting next to them trying to control me temper. "Because today was killer. Asuma never worked us like this."

Asuma. He'd be angry with me for treating his team the way I did. It wasn't their fault I was angry and it wasn't fair that I took my anger out on them.

"I'm sorry, guys. I haven't had a great couple of days and I took it out on you."

"Buying us barbeque would make up for it." Chouji's laugh made me feel better. At least he wasn't too angry with me.

"Not a chance. You practically cleared me out last time. From now on I'll only take you out after missions."

Shikamaru sat up and looked at me. "I think you should tell us more about your former team. What exactly are we in for?"

Ino rolled on her side and propped up her arm, resting her head in her hand. "Shikamaru's right. Why should we be so worried about your old team?"

I tilted my head up to the sky and watch the softy white clouds float by. I knew this was coming, but did they have to pick today to ask? The wind picked up slightly and I was grateful for it. The gentle breeze cooled my body and felt so relaxing. "Like I said the other day, the day we were attacked by the jounin teams was the day everything started falling apart. When we made it back we were in terrible shape. Ichirou had exhausted himself by over using his Mind Transfer jutsu, Kouki over did himself as well. I was low on chakra and having six kunai stuck in my back wasn't making me feel much better."

My head rolled back down so I could get a good look at my team. Besides Chouji, they were staring at me like I was a TV or something. Eagerly waiting for the show to continue. "After we were out of the hospital Kouki and Ichirou became pig headed, more or less. They kept asking for higher ranked missions, even though we weren't ready for them. I tried to get them to stop acting like children, but they never listened. So they began taking their frustration out on the village. They'd purposely provoke other shinobi into fights, just to see if they could beat them, which they always did. They left the village several times and started making trouble in other villages. Eventually their actions started become more costly. Instead of just instigating and hurting their opponents, they'd kill them."

Ino's eyes grew big as she clung to my every word. Shikamaru seemed to soak up everything that I said, reading my body language as I went along. "The Third and Tsunade tried many times to get them to behave, but they never listened. They constantly bombarded me to join them, but I always refused. One night Kouki came to my house, demanding that I go with him and Ichirou."

_Flashback_  
>"<em>Manabu, this game sucks! Let's do something else."<em>

_My brother and I were sitting in his room playing Karuto. We had been at it for a while and there was no sign of us stopping. It was raining outside and I wanted to go play in it, but Manabu was to into the card game. I was wearing dark blue pajama bottoms and a long sleeve black shirt. Normally I slept in shorts and a tank top, but I had caught a cold and I needed to dress appropriately. _

_A thundering pounding came from the first floor and it vibrated throughout the house. Stupid me, I didn't think anything of it until I heard the door fly open. "Where is she," the loud voice boomed. Manabu's eyes went wide as he stared at me. My sweet little brother always tried to put on the big touch guy routine, but he was a gentle soul inside. Fear was evident in his eyes. "Stay here," I commanded as I bolted out of the room and down the steps._

_When I reached the living room I saw Kouki pinning my mother to the floor. My step-dad was out cold on the floor and my grandmother was screaming at the top of her lungs as Kouki held a kunai to my mother's throat. "Where is Soi!"_

_Instinctively I sprang forward. My hands went to his shoulders and I pulled him off of my mother. I flipped him over, his back hit the floor with a thud. My legs were on either side of him and I pulled a kunai out of his pouch as I startled him. One hand was on his chest while the hand holding the kunai was pressed against his neck. It pained me to have to do this to him, but he brought it upon him self._

_From the corner of my eye I saw my mother moved to her husband's side. She tried to wake him up, but he wouldn't budge. "Obaasan, go find help." I heard her feet fun out of the house as quickly as she could. My grandmother is a slightly heavyset woman and running for her was a big deal, but she bolted out of that house as quickly as lightning could strike. I silently prayed for her to hurry. Kouki and I both knew I was no match for him. He could easily turn my genki around on me and he could definitely over power me with those large muscles of his. "You shouldn't have come here." Kouki moved his hands up and was about to place them on my hips, but pressed the kunai a bit harder on his throat. "Don't try it."_

_His violet eyes looked at me with mixed emotions. I could see the hurt in eyes, but the thing that scared me the most the anger that they held. He had always shown me love and kindness, not once had he ever projected his anger towards me. I knew he blamed my family for me not joining him. He had threatened me several times, saying that if I didn't leave with him that he'd get rid of the "problem."_

"_It's time to go, Soi. Ichirou is waiting for us." The sound of light footsteps entering the room made me aware that I could do anything bloody to Kouki, at least for the moment. I snapped my head up to see my little brother in the doorway. He looked like he was about to cry as he looked at me with fear filled eyes._

_Kouki used my moment of weakness to free himself. He pulled his leg close to his chest, placed a foot on my stomach, and kicked me with all his strength. My body hit the far wall with a loud thump, my head bouncing off of it like a ball. I fell to the floor with a thud and was momentarily disoriented. Although my sight was a little blurry, I could make out Kouki approaching my brother. Mom moved around Kouki, blocking his path. His powerful hand encircled her throat and he picked her up off the floor. Manabu started punching and kicking Kouki as he shouted obscenities at him. When my violet eyed friend, or ex-friend, punched Manabu, making him fall to floor in tears, my world went blood red._

_It took me a split second to get off the floor and over to them. I dug the kunai deep into Kouki's shoulder, forcing him to release my mother. He turned and tried to make a grab for me, but I dodged. The small blade I held sliced up his other arm, making blood drip all over the floor. He held in the yell I knew he wanted to let out. It was easy to tell that he was pissed, but he should have known better than to attack my family. Even though we were close in the small room I threw the kunai at him. As it zoomed towards him, I used that time to use what I hopped to be my final attack on him. A second after the kunai grazed his leg both of my hands were on his chest. I pushed my chakra into his body only to have my jutsu fail. _

_I fell to the floor in pain as my own attack was used against me. My screams bounced off of the walls as my body involuntarily shook. It felt like I had just been struck by lightning or someone had set fire to my insides. I willed my body to get up, to do something, but it wouldn't listen. To make matters worse Kouki took the kunai I attacked him with and stabbed me in the shoulder. "Now we're even." His voice, that was always so warm and loving to me, was as cold as ice._

_I screamed again as he bent down to pick me up. He knew full well how much pain I was in and that if I moved in my state the pain would become more sever. Who knew what my insides looked like now that I had basically attacked myself. His voice, now soft and loving as I had grown accustom to, tried to hush me. "If you keep screaming someone will hear you."_

_Moments later we were running through the forest. The wind and rain felt good against my body, but the pain was still unbearable. "Once we get you to Ichirou, you'll be fine. We'll get him to fix you." He was treating me like a child. Like I was some breakable plaything that needed to cherished. Ten pound weights seemed to hinder my eyes as darkness threatened to take me over. His strong arms held me closer to his body as he cradled me. "Go to sleep. When you wake up you'll be as good as new." Even at that moment, after everything he had done to me, I still felt safe in his arms. From the moment we became a team Ichirou, Kouki, and I have been like a family. We never argued, heavily anyway, and we were always there for each other._

_The dark abyss was about to capture me, but a little light of hope kept me awake. I could sense several chakra levels quickly approaching. The amount of which I couldn't figure out, but I prayed that it was someone who could help me. The trees stopped speeding by as Kouki stopped and turned to look behind him. The last thing I heard before I passed out was a furious voice commanding Kouki to release me.  
>End Flashback<em>

During the story Ino and Chouji both shot up and leaned a little closer to me. It was kind of funny, them acting so child like. "Oh my God! Who was it," Ino asked as she leaned a tad bit closer.

"It was Kakashi. He and an ANBU team tracked us down. In the process of retrieving me, Kouki got away. No surprise really." I rolled my eyes at the last part. Kouki was always good at making escapes.

"What are their techniques? What are we in for?"

_Great question, Shikamaru._

"Ichirou uses Mind Transfer techniques like the rest of the Yamanaka clan, but he is also a very skilled genjutsu user. Kouki is an Earth and Lightning user, but his real strength is his kekki genki. He can manipulate most jutsus and turn them around on their users. When I attacked him at my house, he turned my ability back on me."

"Can he do that with all jutsus," Chouji asked.

"Nature based jutsu's he can repel and most other techniques as well. When he was on our side we did some test to see what he can and cannot do. He can't repel the shadow or body expansion techniques, but he can repel Yamanaka's techniques…sorta. It won't affect him if he times it right." Without thinking my hand reached for a strand of my hair, my fingers lightly twirling the curly strand with ease. "The trick to beating Kouki is to wear him out. Although there is no real way to tell if he's using it or not, but he usually has his kekki genki on the entire time he's fight. The longer the fight lasts, the harder it is for him to use it. If he uses it constantly he'll quickly become exhausted. The perfect time to strike is when he's used up most of his chakra, but he's probably gotten better at it since I last saw him."

"Two out of three isn't bad," Ino noted. "Do they have any summons or anything else we should worried about?"

Ino mentioning summons brought a smile to my face. The first smile of the day. "All you have to know is that they're both fast. Fast to attack and to kill." I jumped up and brushed the excess dirt off my shorts. "And they don't have summons, but I do." Blood stemmed from my thumb as I bit down on it. A few hand signs later a puff of smoke filled the area. As the smoke vanished five cats stood before me. "Guy's, I'd like you to meet my summons. Girls, this is my new team."

Nana, the puma, began circle my team. Her body was hunched as if she was going to attack them, but that was just her style. Kai and Saia, the leopard, stepped forward and studied the team while Chihiro, the white tiger, and Yuuka, the lioness, sat by my side. "I'm Kai," my favorite little kitty purred. "And this is Saia. The one circle is Nana." At the mention of her name Nana flicked her tail, hitting Chouji in the back of the head. I couldn't the giggle that escaped as Chouji rubbed the back of his head.

"I'm Yukka," the lioness from my side.

"And I'm Chihiro," my little tigress said as she smirked.

I scratched behind Chihiro's ear and she tilted her head up into my palm. After Kai, I'd have to say that Chihiro was my favorite. She's devilish and playful like me and my go-to-girl when I want do something bad or stupid. "I'm sure you can tell by their looks, but that's Ino, Chouji, and Shikamaru." I over emphasized as I pointed to each of them.

Nana stood behind Chouji and nudged him with her paw. "You look just like your father."

"Uh, thank you?" For the next hour we all sat around and talked. It seemed like Chouji was a bit uncomfortable with the attention Nana was giving him. But the day ended when Ino made a comment about how Nana looked like she could eat Katsuyu in her small form. My feline friends all went silent at the mention of the Hokage.

"Um, well, I have an errand to run. You guys are dismissed." I took to the trees before anyone could say anything else. It didn't take long before I reached the Hokage's tower. Thankfully she wasn't busy when I reached her office. I knocked on the doorframe of the open door as I slowly walked in. "Are you buys?" She shook her head and put down the pen she was using. I closed the door behind me then went to stand in front of her desk. "Good, we need to talk."

"What about?" My fingertips lightly graze her desk as I looked at the floor. I wasn't sure where to start, but I know I needed to speak up. "Is something wrong?"

My dark orbs looked up into her bright brown ones. "I heard from a little birdie that pressed Kakashi into forcing me to leave." Her arms moved so that her elbows rested on the desk. She placed her chin lightly on her intertwined fingers, but said nothing. Her silence angered me, but I kept my composure. "Is that true?"

"Yes."

My hands recoiled when I heard the sound of wood cracking. I looked down to see a small crack in the desk were my hand had been. "Why?"

"Because it was best that you left."

"For what reason?" Breathing seemed to be a chore. I had to remember to breath properly and stay calm.

"Things had already been escalating out of control. It was no secret that they were targeting you. And after what happened with your family I figured giving you a fresh start was the right course of action."

"Or did you just want to get rid of the problem?" She went silent again. My hands clenched into fists at my side. "Why weren't they taken care of?"

"Once I announced that you had died word about it quickly spread the village. We were hoping that they could mess up and alert us to where they were, but nothing ever happened. When we didn't hear anything we assumed that they were either dead or long gone. We tried looking for them, but since we found nothing it seemed best to keep you hidden."

"A lot of good that did. Now that they're back, do you plan on hiding me again or just hope the screw up," I spat out.

"No. This time we're going to use you. You're the only one who can get close enough to them. We should have used you to your full extent last time, but we…I couldn't risk it." My head fell back and my eyes fixed on the ceiling. "Speaking of which, there was a break in last night. Three guards were found dead in the sealed documents department. It looks like they did it."

"Why do you think it was them?"

"Because no one else besides them would be looking for the forbidden scrolls in that area." I looked back at her the moment she said forbidden scrolls. I had a guess what they might have been looking for, but it was only a guess.

"Did they get what they were looking for?"

"No. When Konoha was rebuilt some modifications were made. There are several underground chambers filled with sealed documents, research labs, and forbidden scrolls. There are also empty rooms and dead end passages to confuse intruders. The top-secret things are hidden away in their own location. Excluding myself, only three people know where they are. They can look all they want, but they wont find it."

I nodded as I absorbed the information. If they were able to get into the underground chambers that meant that they were close enough to sneak into the Leaf whenever they wanted. "Keep me posted." I turned to exit the room, but she stopped me when I reached the door.

"For what it's worth, it killed Kakashi to say those things to you. He wasn't going to help originally, but that night at your house changed things." My head fell forward and rested on the door at her words. Last night was terrible. I wanted so badly to yell and scream, but what good would that accomplish? It wouldn't have made me feel better or have fixed the situation. "He still loves you." Water began to build up in my eyes and threatened to fall. I pulled the door open and rushed out before I gave them the chance to fall.

/\/\

AN: So, tell me if you like this idea. I was thinking that after this story I make a prequel. It will be centered around Soi's old team and her relationship with Kakashi. Yes? No? What say you?


	10. Familiar Eyes

"Spoken" _Thought/Flashback/Dream_ **Writing **

Chapter 9: Familiar Eyes

The next few days went by without a hitch. Team Asuma trained together most of the day before dispersing. Tsunade and Soi didn't speak unless something important came up about Ichirou and Kouki. Thankfully she didn't see Kakashi at all. Kurenai, Anko, and Soi had a girl's night where they stayed up all night watching bad movies and talking. Soi told the girls what she and Kakashi talked about the other night at her place.

"I can understand why he did it," Kurenai said as she covered herself with a blanket and moved to get more comfortable on the couch. "He wanted to protect you and didn't know how. Things were getting hectic and none of us knew what to do."

"Yeah, but he still shouldn't have lied," Anko added before taking a drink. "So, do you still love him?"

Soi played with a strain of her long hair before answering. "I don't think I ever stopped." Her voice was soft and her eyes were distant. She seemed to be in a trance, but still some what alert. "I would be lying if I said I didn't hate him for it. Tsunade too, but I do get it." Her head fell back and rested on back of the couch. "Uh, I wish I couldn't see both sides to this argument."

"You've always been good at that. That's what makes you so rational."

Anko poured herself another glass of sake before adding her own two cents to Kurenai's comment. "I'm not sure rational is the word I would use. Sure her open mindedness helps her see both sides of an argument, but it keeps her from lashing out."

"Lashing out doesn't always help, Anko."

"But it works in this case. She has the right to flip out on Kakashi and Tsunade. Hell, if the Third was still alive, she could yell at him too."

The fact that they there were speaking as if Soi wasn't in the room really bothered the explosive kunoichi. In a way Anko was right. She had the right to lash out, but she knew that she wouldn't. The last time she full on freaked out at someone she almost killed them. She wasn't paying attention and used her ability without even knowing it. Ever since then she has tried to act calm during arguments. "Do you guys think I should forgive him?"

"That's not really for us to decide. It's only been a few days since you last spoke to him. You should wait a bit longer and see how you feel."

Soi didn't want to wait. She had all the tendencies to be a patient person, but when it came to matters of the heart she wants things done quickly. She wanted to speak with him again, but was too afraid that she would hurt him.

Several days later Soi got the feeling that she was being followed. During training she felt as if someone was watching her. Then when she went grocery shopping she felt like someone was following her, but there was nothing out of the ordinary. That same feeling stuck with her for about week. Almost every time she turned her head she could feel someone staring at her.

A month into returning into Konoha, Soi received a nasty surprised. She was sitting on the couch writing a letter to her family, Kai right beside her. Her wet hair clung to the long sleeve cotton pajama shirt she was wearing. The blue and yellow pock dot shorts were slightly wet from the horrible dry job Soi did when she hopped out of the shower.

Kai's eyes were sealed shut as she slept curled up to Soi's legs. A pad of paper rested on the kunoichi's leg as she wrote her first letter to her family.

**Hey people! I miss you guys so much. I guess I'll start with the good news. Tsunade put me in charge of a chunin team. I have Nara Shikamaru, Yamanaka Ino, and Akimichi Chouji. It's so funny how much like their parent they are. I introduced them to the kitties the other day. Nana seems to have taken a liking to poor Chouji. Kurenai and Asuma had a beautiful little baby. The other night we…**

A hard pounding on the front door took Soi's attention away from her writing. Kai's head snapped up and looked towards the door as well. "Stay here kitty girl. I'll get it." The pad of paper was gently placed on the coffee table before Soi made her way to the door. As the door opened and the night air made it's way into the apartment, the blood in the jounin's veins went cold.

Soi's POV  
>All I could do was stare. This man, this monster had the audacity to come here. I willed my insides to move, to shout, to do something, but all I did was stare wide eyed into those beautiful eyes I hadn't seen in years.<p>

"I can't believe it. You're really alive." Finally, my body moved as I recoiled away from his touch. His violet eyes held love and sorrow. Before I knew what happened my body was pinned against the wall. One hand was over my mouth and the other held my wrists together. He kicked the front door closed before pressing his body harder against mine. "I've missed you so much. You look even more beautiful than you did back then."

I tried my hardest to push him away, but he knew just how to keep me pinned. Kai's footprints patted on the floor as she ran over to see what was going on. She hissed at my captor before jumping on him. "Get off of her, Kouki," she ordered. She clawed at his shoulder and the side of his face, drawing some blood.

Kouki threw me down on the ground with so much force that my head bounced off the floor. I sprinted to the kitchen and started rummaging through the draws, looking for the two biggest knives I could find. As I ran back to the door, knives in hand, I saw Kai's body flung across the room. Her little body hit the far wall with a thud. I wanted to run and help her up, but there was a bigger issue that needed to be addressed.

I moved between Kai and Kouki, making sure that he didn't get any closer to her. His once heated gaze that he directed at Kai softened when he looked at me. "I don't want to fight, Soi. All I want to do is talk."

"Were you the ones who broke into the underground chambers?"

Instead of giving me a verbal answer I received a sheepish smile, but that's all I needed. Part of me felt sick for having to attack my old friend and teammate, but he had stopped being friendly years ago. He dodged every attack I threw at him. I had to think of something fast before our little battle went on for too long. Kouki is everything I'm not. Although I'm faster than him, he's stronger. Where I can damage anything with a simple touch, he can turn it around on me. If I used my nature jutsus or my ability, I might as well be attacking myself. We could've fought for hours if we were given the proper room. My poor apartment was a mess. The coffee table was tipped over, there were knife marks in the walls, and scuffmarks were all over the floor.

While we were fighting, Kai snapped out of unconsciousness and slowly looked around. I thought that she was going to help, but instead she bolted for my bedroom. "It seems like you're little kitty learned her lesson." Kouki's voiced dripped playfulness as he continued to dodge my attacks. I always turned the tables the few times he tried to counter.

Due to my stupidity and my haste for wanting him out of my life I made a genin level mistake. As I lunged forward I have him enough room to grab me. He grabbed both of my wrists, kicked out the back of my legs, and forced me on my knees. His thumbs pressed into the pressure point on my wrists, forcing me to drop the knives. He put me in a similar position when our old team was first formed. I could've struggled as much as I wanted, but I knew I couldn't go anywhere.

"Now that I have your attention, can we talk?" All I could do was glare at him. If I tried to stand up, he'd put me back down. If I screamed, he'd quickly silence me. For the moment I was his prisoner. "I've missed you so much, my love."

"Don't call me that!"

"Why? It's the truth. You know I've always cared for you." I knew that, I've always known, but that doesn't mean I want to hear it. My butt hit the floor as I moved my legs from out from under me. I used all of my strength as I rolled backwards, forcing him to fall on top of me. Just before his body hit mine, I stuck my feet between us and pushed. I couldn't help the smirk my lips twisted into as his body hit the far wall.

With both my knives in hand I sprang towards him with all my pent up anger. Before he time to move too far I put one knife in his left shoulder and the other one, well, I tried to put it in his leg. As I went to plunge the remaining knife in leg, his first met my stomach, making me drop the knife. His massively strong hand wrapped around my throat as he began joking me, while his other hand, the one that wasn't connecting the bleeding arm, pulled out knife in his shoulder.

I felt like I was weightless as he effortlessly lifted me off the ground by my throat. My legs flailed towards him as my hands tried to pull his fingers off of me, but he held me at arms length, making so my legs couldn't collide with him. The lack of fresh air was beginning to make my longs burn. The feel of the sharp end of the knife dancing across my side tickled slightly, but annoyed me more. He either needed to stab me or back the hell up.

"Why did you have to do that?" His voice was sad and distant, like I had done something wrong. Me, not him, me. "All I wanted was to talk."

"L-let me…," but I couldn't finished. There wasn't enough oxygen in my lungs to form a full sentence. My legs stopped kicking a while ago and the feeling in my hands started to slip away.

He leaned in close to me, far to close to my liking. The feel of his lips on my forehead sickened me. It was hard to imagine that there was a time when I would've welcomed such an affectionate gesture. He pulled back slightly and rested his forehead against mine. "I've missed you so much, beautiful. I thought you were dead." The look in his violet eyes disgusted me. They held lust and longing, two things I never wanted to see in his eyes. My sight began to get fuzzy from the lack of air, but suddenly I was free.

The flood of oxygen that rushed into my lungs made me cough violently. The feel of the cool hard woods against my skin felt so good. "Are you all right," a soft feminine voice asked from my side. My head flopped to the side so I could see who it was. Kai was standing over my, her face frightened. "Can you get up?" She dipped her head down and started to nudge me. "We need to leave."

As feeling began to creep back into my limbs I slowly pushed myself, my back hitting the wall as I sat up. I still couldn't see perfectly, but I'd know that blur of the silver hair anywhere.

_He came for me?_

"Soi, get up," Kai ordered. I used the wall for support as I stood. "Let's go." I knew I should follow her, but I couldn't leave him. I wasn't much use at the moment, but I could do something. I bit my thumb and a few hand signs later Nana and Chihiro were standing before me. It didn't take them long to get the hint about what was going on. Both of them sprang towards the fight jounin.

Not being one for help by anyone who was not a woman, Nana pushed Kakashi out of the way. Kouki took Nana's momentary diversion and bolted out the door. "Nice going Nana," Chihiro said before she flew out the door after him, Nana close behind her.

"Soi," Kakashi said as he walked towards me. "Kai, go to the hospital and tell them we're coming." I tried to tell her that there was no need, but she was already out the door. His long arms held me in place as his one eye racked over my body. "Where are you hurt?"

"Don't worry. It's not my blood." I tried to smile to show him that I was fine, but it seemed like too much work.

We were both silent for a moment as we stared at each other. He had a fresh cut on the side of his neck. His hand quickly went to mine as I tried to reach his neck. "Let me see it," I said softly.

"It's fine."

"Kakashi-"

"We should go to the hospital."


	11. Surprise

AN: So, I'm going to update today (not tomorrow) and here's why. There has been some unexpected events pop up in my life recently. I am going to continue to do my best and update every Monday, but if I'm late please give me a little breathing room. The reason I'm going to update today is because I way too much stuff going on next week and I have to pay attention to it. If anything, hopefully, I'll still update, but the chapters will probably be small. However, since this chapter and the next one are a little relaxed, I'll give you two.

"Spoken" _Thought/Flashback/Dream_ **Writing **

Chapter 10: Surprise

Kakashi's POV  
>The nurse cleared Soi to leave the hospital. Thankfully, Soi only had a few bruises and was told to take the next few days off. The nurse wanted to check the wound on my neck, but I wouldn't let her touch me. That is until Soi said she'd cripple me if I didn't comply. Knowing better, I let the nurse work on the side of my neck. Luckily Kouki didn't hit anything important and the cut wasn't too deep, but I still needed a few stitches. As we were about to leave when Tsunade burst through the door, fuming, Kai right behind her.<p>

"Get. Out," Tsunade ordered. The nurse, slightly taken back by Tsunade's outburst, quickly ran out of the room. "What happened!" Soi quickly told Tsunade what happened as I stood next to her hospital bed.

Since the moment we walked into the hospital I didn't let her out of my sight. It didn't matter that some of the staff were medical nin, not just typical nurses, but I wasn't going to let her go anywhere without me. The nurse found it strange that I wouldn't give them a moment of privacy, but Soi permitted me to stay.

It was obvious that Tsunade was upset. I hadn't seen her this angry in a while. "That makes four break-ins to the underground tunnels and an attack on you."

"Four?" Soi slightly tilted her head to the left in confusion. A cute little quirk she had, whether she knew she was doing it or not.

"They're growing inpatient. The rooms they search are practically destroyed by the time they leave." Tsunade rubbed her head as she let out a heavy sigh. "Go home, you've been cleared, but Kakashi is going to stay with you tonight. I want a report when Nana and Chihiro get back. If they're not back by dawn, then I'm sending a tracking team after them."

"Sensei, you know a tracking team won't be good enough."

"Regardless, I want-" A knock on the door cut off whatever she was about to say. A green-eyed nurse poked her head through the door.

"Excuse me Hokage, but two big…cats are hear to see you."

"Let them in." The nurse opened the door letting Nana and Chihiro in. Both of them look upset and ready to destroy something. "What happened?"

"We chased him for a while, but by the time we caught up with him, he had rendezvoused with Ichirou," Chihiro said as she went to stand by the edge of the bed. Soi lightly petted the tiger before her attention snapped to Nana.

"That Yamanaka used his genjutsu to trick us. By the time we snapped out of it they both were gone."

"You're lucky they didn't kill you," Tsunade said as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"They wouldn't do that," Soi said in a matter of fact tone. "They see my summons not only as an extension of myself, but as a weapon. If they hurt them, than that's one less arsenal they would have if I ever decided to join them. They're cruel, but not stupid." Soi outstretched her hand to pet Nana as the deadly puma rubbed up on her leg. "The three of you can go. I'll be fine." The three cats eyed her skeptically before they disappeared in a puff of smoke. I made a mental not to thank them for being so loyal to her the next time I saw them. "Can I go home now?"

Tsunade nodded and stepped out of the way as Soi walked out of the room. I started to follow her, but Tsunade gripped my arm tightly. "Don't let anything happen to her." She didn't have to tell me that. I had already planned on not leaving her side tonight or any other night if I could help it.

When we got back to her apartment Soi grumbled under her breath about how messy it was. "I hate cleaning."

"I'll help you clean it tomorrow. You need rest."

She turned around to look at me. Her face was void of all emotion. I'm sure she was more exhausted than she let on. "You can go," her voice was flat and distant. "I'll be fine."

"I'm staying." We stared at each other for a while, neither one of us willing to break this moment of peace. "Soi, we should-"

"The couch is all yours." Her messy hair swayed as she turned to walk away from me. The sound of her bedroom door locking made me flinch slightly. Part of me was insulted that she thought a simple lock could keep me out, but the meaning behind it was loud and clear.

We hadn't spoken in days, but I knew better than to push her. She's they type to do things on her own terms, at her own pace. If I tried to force her, then I might as well kiss any chance of us being together again goodbye.

"Might as well start cleaning."

Soi's POV  
>I felt the bed shift slightly, but I didn't open my eyes. Kakashi knows I'm not a morning, but if he wants to wake me up, fine. He'll have a broken collarbone.<p>

"Boo!" My eyes shot open as I jolted up and looked at the person beside me. It wasn't that they scared me, more so that the owner of the voice shouldn't be here. "Soi," the little voice giggled as her small arms wrapped around my neck.

"Hello my beautiful baby girl," I said, equally as enthused as my arms tightly squeezed the small form close to my chest. "My wonderful Sango! Who brought you here?"

"Mommy and Aunt Gina." She rolled off the bed and ran to the door, stomping her little feet as she went. "Come on!" I couldn't hide the smirk that came across my face. That little girl always made me smile.

Sango let out an excited scream as I ran after her and scooped her up in my arms. I rained kisses on her cheeks, making her laugh more. When I stopped kissing her and looked up, three people were looking as me with smiles. "Hi momma," I said as I maneuvered to hold Sango in one arm while I hugged my mother with the other.

"Hi baby."

After a quick hug and, I moved to give my Aunt Chiasa the same amount of affection. When we pulled away she quickly looked around the living room and grinned. "You're place looks nice. I'm surprised you could keep it so clean." I was so excited to see them that I completely forgot about the mess. To my surprise the room was spotless. I stole a quick glance at Kakashi, who was leaning on the wall behind my mother and Chiasa, before turning back to them.

"How did you guys know where I lived?"

"Tsunade sent us a message a few days after you arrived in the Leaf," my mother said.

"But it would have been nice if you had written us," Chiasa chimed in.

"I started writing you last night, but I got….side tracked." I could feel Kakashi's eyes on me as I spoke, but I looked anywhere but at him. "Here's a better question. How did you get in my room?"

Chiasa pointed over her shoulder to Kakashi. "He let us in. What's the point of locking your bedroom door, but not your front door?"

_Uh, of course she would ask that question_.

"Let me get changed real quick and we can go out for breakfast. Do you want to help me pick out my outfit," I asked the little girl in my arms as I tickled her side. As a yes, she wiggled out of my arms, plopped on the floor, and ran back to my bedroom.

Sango picked out black shorts and a pale pink long sleeve shirt that hung off my shoulders. Even though I put the cloths on with a smile I mentally kicked myself for keeping the shirt. I hate pink with a burning passion and the only reason I had this shirt was because Sango picked it out for me as a birthday present the previous year. It also made me feel a little uncomfortable being this covered up. Sure my legs and shoulders were bare, but my arms weren't. I've definitely become too accustom to wearing little clothing. I tied my hair up in a quick pony-tail before walking to the bathroom to brush my teeth.

When we walked back to the living room the first thing I noticed was that Kakashi had vanished. I wasn't going to say anything about it, but Chiasa wanted to bring it up. "So, the two of you are back together?"

"No," I said flatly as I went to put on my shoes with Sango's help. Besides Sango talking to herself about something or another, the room was silent. I grabbed the keys off of the kitchen counter and headed for the front door. As we began walking out my mother gave me a knowing look as if I was supposed to tell her something. "I'll tell you guys over breakfast."

The four of us had a picnic for breakfast. We went to the grocery store and bought a bunch of random foods before we found a nice spot to sit in the park. As I promised I told them everything that had been going on. Sango would cut into the conversation by telling us to watch her as she did a cartwheel or as she chased a butterfly.

"I knew you shouldn't have come back," my mother said as she took a bite of her sandwich. "What does Tsunade expect you to do? No offense, but you can't win against Kouki. You can't use your blood…thing and you're not physically stronger than him."

"True, but if someone like Guy fought him, then it would be an easy win. Guy is much faster than Kouki will ever be, especially if he opens the Gates, and a much better taijutu user. On the other hand Ichirou I can take. I know the signs of when he uses his genjutsu and I know how to break it. Once they're separated it shouldn't be a problem."

"But you don't know what they've been up to since you last saw them," Chiasa said as she reached into the grocery bag to take out a container full of cherries. "They could've gotten stronger."

"I agree, but Leaf ninja don't slack off. There are many great ninja here that have the ability to take them down. All we need is a good plan." I smiled as an image of my new black haired teammate popped into my head. "Maybe I'll leave that up to Shikamaru. He's good at coming up with battle strategies."

"Speaking of which, when do we get to meet your new team? You're on a team, right?"

I mentally kicked myself after a second. I was supposed to train with them today, but I never told them why I couldn't meet them. As fast as my hands could move I summoned Kai and sent her off to inform my team on what happened. Sango caught sight of her as she ran off, shouting the felines name as she ran off. My little angel came walking over with a slight pout on her face. "Kai came a-and didn't say hi to me."

Uh, this kid is too cute. "It's ok, baby girl. Kai had to run an errand for Soi," Chiasa said as she handed her daughter a cherry.

"On to a more pressing topic," mother said from my side, giving me a small smile as she spoke. "About Kakashi." I couldn't hold back the groan and eye roll as she said his name. "Where do the two of you stand?"

"The hell if I know," I said before popping a cherry in my mouth.

"Hey! Mom, she said a bad word." Chiasa eyed me with a smile as Sango glared at me.

"I'm sorry, baby. I meant to say heck." My correction seemed to turn her mood around and made her happy again. I quickly summoned the rest of the cat summons for Sango to play with. Even though all the cats got along with Sango, Yuuka loved her the most. When Sango was just born I introduced her to all the cat summons. Yuuka was the first one approach her and show the new born affection. Yuuka once noted that if Sango ever became a ninja that she and the rest of the summons would gladly fallow her. I was over the moon when she said that. Cat summons were very picky about who they would allow to handle them and noting that they would follow Sango and protect her always put my heart at ease.

"Yyyyuuuuuukkkkaaaa," Sango screeched as she clapped her hands while jumping up and down. Yuuka smiled as she walked over to my little bundle of love and nudged her. It always made me laugh to see that Sango could easily be pushed around by a simple nudge. She was just about as tall as Yuuka, but was still small enough to knocked over by a small sign of affection.

"Hello there little one," Yuuka said with a purr.

"I miss you," Sango said as she hugged the lioness around the neck.

"As I have you."

The other cats looked at us with questioning eyes. "When did you guys get here," Saia asked mom and Chiasa before turning back to look at Sango and Yuuka.

"They just arrived today, but I have a favor to ask. Can you guys go play with Sango while I talk with them?" It's not that I didn't want Sango around, but I didn't want her to very hear. We stopped speaking when she interrupted us about Kouki and Ichirou, but it always bugged me when I had to stop and start a conversation. The girls took Sango about twenty feet away, while we stayed under the tree that provided us with cool shade from the hot sun. Once they, or at least Sango, were out of ear shot my smile dropped again. "Like I said, hell if I know."

Chiasa chuckled, not adverting her eyes off of her child. "How do you feel about him?"

Neither of them interrupted me while I told them the entire story about what happened all those years ago even though it was clear that they wanted to. "I'm conflicted. I understand why he did what he did, but at the same time it still doesn't excuse it." My head fell back against the rough bark on the tree, as I looked up to the dancing leaves the moved in the slight breeze. "If I had gone the rest of my life without seeing him, I would have been fine. If he hadn't told me what he did, I would've been fine too. The fact the he lied and planned it out…that's just too much."

"But," my mother pressed.

I sighed as my fingers gently messaged the left temple. "But I get it, I understand, which is keeping me from being as angry as I should be. At him and Tsunade."

Mom gently patted my leg before withdrawing her hand. "I can understand why they did it, especially Tsunade. She always looked at the three of you as if you were the children she never had, especially you. I would've done the same thing if I was in her position." My head fell to the side, eyes glued to her as she gave me a small smile. "It's different when you have kids. You'll go through drastic measures for their safety. At that point she had already lost the other two. Losing you to them probably would have killed her."

"But she did lose me. I left."

"But you weren't dead and you didn't join them. Even though you were far away, you were safe. That's all she wanted." My eyes fell down and were fixed on out hands. At some point mom's snow white hands entangled with my mocha ones. "As for Kakashi."

"Uhh!"

"Just listen. I'm not saying you should forgive him, but I'm not saying you shouldn't either. Just take some time and think about it. Whatever happens, whatever he says or does, do what's right for you. You have a nasty habit of doing so much for other people that you don't do enough for yourself. This is your time to be selfish and at the end of the day I'll support your decision." My eyes flew up to look at her as I gave her a smile. She always knew how to make me feel better.

My body tensed slightly as I felt several chakra levels come rushing towards us, but I relaxed once I realized who they belonged to. "What happened," Shikamaru asked as he and the others landed in front of us, making some of the leaves fall from the tree they jumped down from.

"Are you alright," Chouji and Ino asked in unison.

"I'm fine," I said as I lifted both of my hands in a defensive manner. "It's no big deal."

"No big deal? He waltzed into Konoha without being noticed and attacked you. That's not nothing." Shikamaru quickly glanced at the two women sitting beside me before turning his gaze back to them. "Who are they?"

Chiasa eyed him up and down with an annoyed smirk. "What manners. I know your mother taught you better than that." Shikamaru gave her a questioning glance while Ino chuckled behind him.

"Let me introduce you guys. This is Ino, Chouji, and Shikamaru," I emphasized by pointing to them. I didn't see the need to say their last names. They were basically mini doppelgangers of their parents. "And this is my Aunt Chiasa and my mother, Gina. That little buddle of giggles over there with the girls is Sango." My chunnin turned to look at Sango before turning back to us. Before Shikamaru could ask another question I quickly cut him off. "I'm sorry for not telling you guys earlier that I couldn't meet with you today. I had a surprise wake up call and I forgot about training."

"At least you're ok." Chouji scratched the back of his head as he smiled down at me.

Ino let out a heavy breath she was holding, her face lightening up a bit. "Yeah. We couldn't lose another sensei." As if realizing his mistake, he quickly tried to right his wrong. "I mean…uh."

"Ino," Shikamaru warned.

"Let's just drop the subject," I said with a slight smile. I could tell that Shikamarau was extremely upset about this, so I pulled him to the side while the Ino and Chouji started asking mom and Chiasa questions about me. I was about to start when he cut me off.

"You need to be more careful." His voice was hard, like he was disciplining a child. His hands were shoved deep in his pockets as he held my gaze.

"Shikamaru, I didn't know he was that close. If I had thought that he knew I was here, I would've taken better precautions." His lack of response tugged at a chord in my heart. "I can't apologies for something that was out of my control, but…" I didn't know what to say to him. Part of me wanted to say sorry, but what did I have to be sorry for? For not leaving with my old team when I had the chance? For not being Kouki's equal? Instead I did the only thing I could think of. I took a small step forward, my arms circling the young man before me. His body stiffened slightly under my touch as I hugged him to me. "I promise you that I wont leave you. I'll always be here," I whispered.

His body relaxed as his head slightly fell. "How can you promise something like that? Asuma was always supposed to be here, but he's not."

I pulled away from him, looked directly in his eyes, and gave him the biggest smile I could. "Asuma is always here. He's in your attack style, your memory, your heart, everything. Just because you can't see him doesn't mean he isn't hear." Shikamaru looked as if he was contemplating my words, as if I really meant them. "And even if I die too, I'll be beside you as well. No one and nothing could keep me from your side." I gave him one more smile before pulling at the end of his hair, making him jerk away from me. "Now wipe that look off your face and be happy," I said as I started back to everyone else.

"You must be happy that your family is moving back," Ino said to me as I sat down next to my mother, Shikamarua sitting next to her trying to fix his hair. I eyed my mother curiously.

"There is a large vacant lot on the other side of town. It's big enough to build a large house in," she said with a smile.

"And," I pressed.

"Surprise," Chiasa said as she leaned over and lightly punched me in the leg. "We're going to go see how much the lot would cost. Chances are we're going to build a house for everyone to move into. We're all coming back to the Leaf."

My eyes widened in shock as my mouth dropped. "Now? Right now? That's not the wisest idea you've ever had. Not with Kouki and Ichirou around."

Chiasa took a sip of her bottled tea as she offered me another cherry. "You just don't want us around."

"I just don't want you getting killed. Remember last time?" Both of their faces fell as I brought up what happened the night at the old house. I noticed Chiasa looking up at my team, eyeing them. "I already told them what happened. They needed to know what we're up against."

"Which is why I agree with Soi-sensei. You shouldn't move back at a time like this. Once this whole thing is over and done with, then it would be ok for you to move back." I silently thanked Shikamaru for backing me on this.

Mom grabbed for my hand again and squeezed. "I just don't want you to be alone."

"I'm not alone. I have them."


	12. Downtime

"Spoken" _Thought/Flashback/Dream_ **Writing **

Chapter 11: Downtime

Kakashi's POV  
>I couldn't help the smile my mask hid when I saw her holding that little girl in her arms. Her smile lit up the entire room as she hugged the small figure tightly. My ears didn't pick up on a single thing any of them said while they spoke, I simply stared at her.<p>

However, my smile faded when she retreated back into her bedroom. "I should be going," I said as I broke away from the wall and started towards the front door.

"Kakashi, wait," Gina said as she moved to stop me. She seemed like she wanted to ask me something, but the words she spoke next were obviously not the ones she wanted to say. "How have you been?"

"Good. If you'll excuse me I have to meet my team." It was obviously a lie, but I left anyway. The world around seemed to blur as I raced a crossed to rooftops to the Hokage's tower. It didn't take long for me to reach the Hokage's office.

"Close the door," she order, not taking her eye off of the paper work before her. I did as she told before I stopped in front of her desk. "How did last night go?"

"I spent most of it cleaning, but I got in a few hours of sleep."

"Any problems?"

"None. Did you know her family came to visit her?" Now she finally looked at me.

"I gave them her address, but I didn't think they'd come so quickly."

"Are you really surprised? That family is inseparable."

Tsunade rolled her eyes and sat back in her chair. "I guess not. Did she say anything last night?"

" 'The couch is all yours.' "

"That sounds like her." She leaned over her desk again, fixing her sight on her work. "Continue to watch her."

"I'm not sure she wants me around right now."

"You a shinobi. Figure it out."

After leaving the Hokage's Tower I quickly made my way to the training grounds. Team 7 and Guy's team were scheduled to spar today. No one batted an eye when I arrived several hours late, but it's not like I expected them to. Guy, as enthusiastic as ever, run up to me started our sparing match. As we fought, we talked. At first we talked about nothing in particular, but then the conversation turned deep. The moment the words spilled out I immediately regretted it. I told him what had been going on between Soi and I.

"Well, you're in a heap of trouble my friend." I blocked Guy's kick easily before sending him attack of my own. "Perhaps if you write her a poem or fill her home with a million brilliant flowers." Block, block, block, counter attack, block.

"Have you forgotten what she's like? She'd laugh if I wrote her a poem and kill me if I filled her living room with flowers. Thanks, but I'd prefer to live. She's a sweet, but romance isn't one of her high points."

"People change over time. Perhaps she has grown accustom to such things. Imagine all the lovers she must have had while she was away."

My fist collided with his face a tad bit more roughly than I intended, but it felt good to relieve that momentary anger. "Not something I want to think about."

Guy recoiled for a split second before going on the offensive again. "I didn't mean it like that."

"Just drop it."

"What I mean is-" but Naruto's flailing voice and body crashed in between us. A groan left the blonds lips as Tenten ran to his side.

"You're too slow! Come on, Naruto. Get into it."

"I am into it," as he lifted himself up from the ground.

I watched him go off with Konoha's weapon mistress before turning back to Guy. "I'll talk to her."

"I'd prefer you didn't."

"All she needs is a fresh dose of youth and she'll be falling in your arms in no time."

"Guy, I'm serious." His body lapsed into his normal standing position, no longer in the mood for a fight. Pitty, I was. "All she needs is time."

"But will time push her to you or pull her even farther away? I understand why you did it, but you should have told her the truth. She would've understood."

"She said the same thing."

"Then why did you have such little faith in her?"

My head rolled back on my shoulder as my hands dug deep in my pants pockets. "Enough Guy. I shouldn't have said anything in the first place."

The Hyuuga prodigy walked over looking like he hadn't been sparing for the past several hours. "Guy-sensei, I have to cut today's training short. I have to return back to the manor to attend to family affairs."

Guy gave his poor student one of those ridiculous grins he's known for. "Alright, you go and tell the others they can stop too if they like." Neji nodded his head and went to relay the message to the others. "Why don't you and I go out to lunch? We haven't done that in a while."

"Only if you drop the subject."

"Deal."

We took to the trees as we made our way into the heart of the Leaf. Guy decided that we should eat at his favorite place, Banquet. They had a little bit of everything and wasn't very expensive. The moment we walked in the door Genma flagged us down.

"What's up," he said as he moved farther into the booth to make room for Guy. Iruka, sitting opposite of the two, did the same so I could sit next to him, my back now facing the door. "I'm all in favor of going out again, but make it some time soon. The other night was awesome."

Our waitress walked over and handed us our menus with a smile. She took our drink order before walking away. "I can't do that all the time," Iruka said as he started poking at the dumplings in front of him. "I have classes to teach."

"It's Saturday, Iruka. You don't have class tomorrow." Genma tossed a small wadded up piece of napkin at Iruka's face as he smirked. "Live a little." The waitress came back with the drinks Guy and I order. She quickly jotted down our orders before leaving again. "Holy shit, she has a kid!"

Guy's head shot up over my shoulder at the same time Iruka and I turned around. Soi and her family were standing at the front of the restaurant. The little girl from before was in her arms rambling on about something. Whatever it was it brought a smile to Soi's face. I turned back around, nudging Iruka and kicking Guy under the table to get them to stop gocking. "That's her cousin. The other women with her are-"

"I know who they are. Her aunt use to be the wild child in the family and her mom was the one who always let us stay over after bad missions. It's good to see them again." I kicked Genma as well to make him stop staring. "What? Can't I look? Besides, now that she's back you better get use to people staring at her. She's gotten hotter over the last few years."

"Speaking of Soi, did you know that-"

"Guy." I glared at him, but apparently I went unnoticed.

"Kakashi lied about her death?"

_Damnit!_

Now Iruka and Genma were both staring at me like I owed them and explanation. "Lied about what," Iruka pressed. Thanks to Guy, my lunch was ruined. I spent the next hour telling them about what happened. I noticed, several times I might add, that Genma's eyes drifted over my shoulder. His random smile made me turn to see what he was looking at.

Soi had gotten up from the booth she was sitting at and started towards us with the little girl. Her eyes were fixated on the child at her side. I'm sure she would have walked right by, paying us no attention, if Genma hadn't opened his mouth. "Babysitting?"

She stopped in front of our table and smiled at us although I'm sure it was more for them. "Kinda. Little Miss here has to go to the bathroom."

"Hi there," Iruka said as he leaned farther forward on the table to get a better look. "What's your name?"

Soi smiled down at the little girl as she hid behind Soi's leg. "Don't play shy, Sango. She normally flirts with all the guys."

"So that means you're going to grow up to be like your cousin," Genma said with a grin.

"Haha, Genma, very funny. You better watch yourself. She has a way of getting what she wants out of people."

"What is she? Three? Kids her age always get what they want."

"Four, but just wait. She'll charm you into getting her candy or giving her a piggy back ride."

"Do I look like the type to give into a kid?"

"You haven't hung around her enough." Sango pulled on Soi's muttering about how badly she had to go to the bathroom. "I gotta go. See you guys." She waved us off before hurrying to the bathroom with the small child.

"Really? She thinks that kid could whip me?"

"The women in her family often get what they want. I wouldn't be surprise," Iruka added. Thankfully all talk about Soi ended there, at least for a while. She didn't stop at our table as she returned to hers and we didn't say anything to her. I was surprised that they left before us. Soi was a fast eater, but her family usually took forever.

"Dude, you need to make a move on her before someone else does." I shot Genma a knowing look. He had always had a thing for Soi, but he wouldn't dare cross me like that. "Not me, but think of all the other guys in this village. She's a beautiful and talented kunoichi. She's not going to stay single forever."

"She needs her space and I'm giving it to her." I looked over at Guy, who had been oddly quiet throughout lunch. "What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing. Just waiting for you to say I can talk to her."

"No."

"But-"

"Leave her alone."

"Maybe Guy talking to her would be good." Iruka took a quick sip of his drink before continuing. "If she wasn't talking to you, the Hokage, Anko, or Kurenai about her problems, she'd talk to Guy. Now that two of the five of you are currently on her bad list, think of what might happen if Guy helped."

"Three out of five," I noted. "It's a good bet that Anko is pitting her against me. Kurenai is the only one I can depend on."

"But we all know what Kurenai will say. She'll tell Soi that it's her decision."

"Which it is."

Genma downed the rest of his drink before slouching farther into the booth. "Then I guess you're stuck in hell for a while."


	13. Taken

AN: Sorry if I seem a bit distant in this chapter. My head wasn't all together when I wrote it, but I'll try to do better next week.

"Spoken" _Thought/Flashback/Dream_ **Writing **

Chapter 12: Taken

Soi's POV  
>Seeing Sango's tears instantly made me tear up, but I kept my eyes from over flowing. They left the next morning and my poor baby girl threw a fit. She wanted to stay with me, as much as I wanted to stay with her, but we had to part. "I promise to come see you soon," I said as I hugged her little frame close to me. "I love you so much, big girl." She sniffled as her tear stained face pulled away from me. The little quivering lip of hers almost made me break down. I truly believe this kid has more power over me than anyone else in the world.<p>

Chiasa gave me a hug before bending down to pick up her daughter. "You better come by to visit. The village is dull without you around." I gave my aunt a smile before turning to my mom.

No surprise, she had tears in her eyes as well. Our hug was filled with so much love, neither of us wanted to pull away. "Be safe, write, and try not to give Tsunade a hard time." I rolled my eyes as I pulled back from her.

"When did I ever give her a hard time?" Both mother and Chiasa gave me a knowing look. "Ok, so there was one time. Big deal." I have my mom a quick kiss before stepping out of their way, leaving a perfect view of the main gate in front of them. "Have a safe trip back."

They each waved to me and said their individual goodbyes. I stood in front of the open gate until I couldn't see them anymore, but even then I still stood there. It's a strange thing, having someone you love walk away from you, knowing you may not see them again. The life of a shinobi is a dangerous one. There is a chance I might not come back from a mission and that I'll never see them again.

"That little girl looks just like her mother," a strong voice said from behind me. I didn't turn to look at the person, the voice already giving it away.

"She acts like her to. Bossy, snooty, bold, talkative, everything. She's a little mini Chiasa."

"Should I pity the father?"

"Absolutely." The person behind me chuckled as I turned to look at them. Long blond hair blew lightly in the wind as light brown eyes looked past me, to where my family disappeared over the horizon.

"They stopped into my office asking about an open lot."

"They told me they bought it or wanted to buy it."

"It's theirs. Are you excited for them to move here?"

"I told them that they should wait until this business with Kouki and Ichirou is over, but you know them. Once their minds are made up there's no stopping them."

"That sounds like someone else I know." Besides the rustling of the leaves and the distant chatter of civilians, silence filled the area. Both of us looking at each other without really seeing on another. "I can't apologies for something I don't feel sorry for."

"I know that. I'd be shocked if you did." I gave her a small smile, one that I meant. "In a way I should thank you." Her brows knitted together as her head tilted slightly to the side. "You kept my family together and I thank you for that. I'm sure I could've lived somewhere without them, but every day would've been hell."

"Don't worry about it." Her hair tussled slightly as she started walking back towards her tower. As she walked away I couldn't help but think of everything we've been through together. The first day we met, her countless hours of teaching me how to perfect my ability, and all the times I had to break up fights between her and Jiraiya. And I loved every single long, painful, and tiresome minute of it.

As I watched her walk away from me something deep within my heart snapped. In the brief second I was no longer mad at her. Sure, I as still a little upset at what she did, but I couldn't stay mad at her forever. She was my teacher, a friend, and basically a second mother. There was no way I could go through life hating her.

I sprinted forward and jumped on her back. My legs tightened on either side of her as my arms wrapped around her neck. "Give me a piggy back ride," I said through my painful smile.

Thankfully she righted her balance for she fell over. "You're too old. Get off!"

"No."

"People are staring."

"Have I ever cared what people think of me?"

"Stop being a child and get off!"

"But I'm done being mad at you, which mean you don't have to be a grump." The people around us were whispering to each other and point at us. I knew I was acting childish, but I didn't care. I've done this to her twice in my life and only once has it ended badly. When she didn't reply I dug my legs farther into her hips. "Why aren't you walking?"

"You're not made at me anymore?" I was a little surprised that her voice was so calm. Even more so that I wasn't in physical pain yet.

"No. You and I both know I would've gotten over it eventually. I just don't want to waste time and energy being mad. It doesn't do any good for anyone." I hopped off her back and stood in front of her. She seemed sad, happy, and confused all at once.

"What about Kakashi?" This I had to think on. He was as guilty as she was, but his betrayal hurt more. I gave him everything, but in the end he destroyed my heart. But on the up side he did tell me how bad he felt about it and how much he wishes he could take it back.

_Uh, damnit…._

"I forgive him too, but don't tell him. I want him to suffer a little more." Tsunade, that lovable blond drunkard, smirked at me like she knew I was going to say that. "Want to go get lunch?"

"You jump on me, tell me you've forgiven me for what I did to you, and then asked me out to lunch?"

"Yes," I said flatly. She should know by now that I can't hold grudge for long. Especially if I really love the person.

"Fine," she said with a shrug of her shoulders. "Are you paying?"

"For my half."

It felt so good to have lunch with Tsunade. Even though I've been back in the Leaf for a while, I haven't really hung out with her and god do I miss it. Mainly we talked about nothing specific. Bouncing around from topic to topic. We probably would have chatted longer if she hadn't been pulled away. Apparently she was needed at the hospital, forcing her to leave in a hurry….leaving me with the entire bill.

The week continued the same way. We'd meet up for lunch, sometimes Ino or Sakura would come with us, and we'd talk about life. It wasn't until later that week that she called all of the teams into her office. Each of the four teams were standing patiently before Tsunades desk, silently waiting for her to arrive. I found it strange that she ordered us to come to her, but she wasn't even in her office.

When she did walk in there were a few bloodstains on her outfit and she looked like she was about to collapse. Her eyes were glued to the floor as she slowly made her way to her chair. "Are you alright, Hokage-sama," Kurenai asked from my left. The Hokage's chair squeaked as her body fell into.

Kakashi's POV  
>Whatever was going on had to be something relating to Kouki and Ichirou, otherwise what reason would she call all four teams here? The look on her face seemed like she was about to tell us someone had died. Maybe they had. The life of a shinobi is unpredictable.<p>

"An hour ago a group of people was brought into the village for medical attention. Their village was attack and burned to the ground."

"That's awful," Ino said and I couldn't agree more with her.

"The village is located in between the Suna and us, just a little farther south." From the corner of my eye I saw Soi's body posture straighten. "We have medics working in the area as we speak, but those with serious injuries were brought either here or the Suna." When Tsunade finally looked up, she looked directly at Soi. "Many people were killed during the attack, but two children were taken."

"What's the name of this village," Kiba asked as he lightly petted Akamaru's head.

"Crystal Lake Village." Soi's hands instantly snapped together. "It's more like a town. It's relatively small and has no shinobi. The only attribute it has is a massive clear like right beside it. It's so far out of the way that most people don't know it's there."

"What are the children's names," Soi finally spoke up. Like a pro, her voice didn't betray her, but her hands gave her away. At least for those who knew what to look for.

"Rinno Minako and Matsu Takeo. Minako is-"

"Six years old, long brown hair and dark brown eyes with a birth mark on her elbow. Takeo is seven, light colored hair, blue eyes, and is relatively tall for his age."

Naruto scratched his head as he eyed Soi skeptically. "How do you know that?"

"They're my cousins." Everyone in the room looked at her, even me. She was so calm when she spoke, so professional, that even I had to take a moment to see if this really affected her.

"The reason I asked for these four teams is because Kouki and Ichirou are behind this."

"How do you know?" Of course Shikamaru would be the one to ask. Always gathering information.

"Soi's mother is one of the people who were brought in today. She said that Ichirou, a blue haired woman, and another figure she couldn't identify broke into their house and took the children. She also mentioned that they said they were looking for Adatta's notes. Afterward they began to destroy the town. I want you to track them down and retrieve the kids."

"And we get to take the others out too, right?" I rolled my eyes at Naruto's eagerness.

"You're first priority is to rescue the kids. If there is time to capture the others, then go for it, but I want those children back."

"Who is Adatta," Sakura as from my side. Just like her to not let things go unnoticed.

"Adatta is Soi's father. He was a ninja from Iwagakure, but studied medical ninjitsu under me for a time. I heard through the grape vine that he was working on something important, but never got to finish it due to his untimely death. Do you know what he was working on, Soi?"

"No. He left me a packet in his Will, but I never opened it. That's the only thing I could see them wanting."

Tsunade nodded at Soi's words. "Besides getting the children back, find out what they're looking for. Whatever it is can't be good. You're dismissed."

Soi sharply turned towards the door as she started to leave. "Everyone, meet up at the main gate in an hour." And with that, she was gone.

Exactly an hour later everyone was packed and ready to head out. We all stood in a circle, Soi in the center, "What's the plan," Sakura asked from my side.

"When we get there we're going to split up into two teams. Team 1 will be Kakashi, Guy, Ino, Hinata, Neji, Shino, Sai, and Kiba. You guys will be the tracking team while the rest of us will be in Team 2. Team 1 will form a perimeter around the village, spread out in all directions, and find a clues to figure out which way they might have gone. Kakashi, use your dogs to help in the search. The rest of us will stay in the village and search for clues there. If you happen to come in contact with the enemy, don't do anything stupid." She looked directly at Naruto. "Kouki and Ichirou are extremely dangerous and we don't know anything about the other three." She went onto explain Kouki and Ichirou's strengths and weaknesses. After her brief speech we all took to the trees.

Soi's POV (during the hour before leaving)  
>The second I left Tsunade's office I bolted for the hospital, but I couldn't get there fast enough. My legs seemed like they each had 500 pound weights strapped to them. When I finally got there a nurse rushed me to the emergency wing. Tsuande must have told me that I was coming because I didn't even need to tell her who I was looking for.<p>

The nurse took me to a waiting room where several people sat. When I entered the room my eyes filled with tears. Almost all of my family members were there. The only ones missing were my mom, Uncle Jiro, and the two missing children.

"Thank Kami you're safe," my grandmother cried as her arms wrapped around me. I hugged her back before lightly pushing her away.

"What happened? Tell me everything."

Aunt Shig, who was clutching Minako's favorite pink bear to her chest, stepped forward. Her face was red and there were fresh tear tracks running down her face. Her usually perfect looking v-cut short brown hair was now completely messy. "Those freaks broke into our home! Jiro tried to fight them off, but…they hit him in his back. Right where he got hurt!"

I felt my fingers curl into fists at my sides. "What did they do?"

"Kouki wasn't there. It was some girl, some sick looking guy, and Ichirou. The girl has dark sapphire hair, but that's all I saw of her. The sick guy was tall, dark skinned, and green eyes, but he seemed liked he was about to drop at any second. Ichirou was there for sure! He used his genjutsu to paralyze the entire village. It's a thing you taught Manabu how to break genjutsus or we'd all be dead." At the sound of his name Manabu walked over to me and gave me a hug. I kissed the top of his head as I hugged him to me. I never had any urge to teach my younger cousins or my brother anything about the ninja world, mainly because their parents would kill me, but Manabu wanted to learn about genjutsu so I taught him secretly. He is actually very good at it.

Uncle Jiro, who's arm was draped over his wife Kayo, spoke as calmly as he could as he stepped a bit closer. "I think they followed your mom back to the village. How else would they have known where we were?"

"It doesn't matter how they found us. All that matters is that we get the kids back." Chiasa held Sango tightly in her arms as she spoke. Pure rage and sadness evident in her eyes. "What is the Hokage going to do about this?"

"She organized four teams to search for the children. I'm going to take the lead on this."

"What about Kouki and the others?" Aunt Kayo asked.

"Our first priority are the kids. Once they're in my possession I'm bringing them back here. After that, it's all out war on them."

Jun put his arm around me and held me against his body. "Soi, don't do anything too rash. We need you back in one piece."

"But we need the kids more." I pulled out my house key and gave it Jun. "You guys can stay here. It's going to be cramped, but it's better than nothing. The grocery store a few blocks from my house knows me pretty well. Get whatever you need and put it on my tab."

"You guys can stay at my place too. It's a bit bigger." My head snapped to the side. Kakashi was standing bay the door, his outstretched hand holding a small golden key. "I'm a few blocks down from her. You guys will still be close."

"Kakashi, you don't have to."

He stepped forward and put the key in Jun's hand. "It's no trouble. There's no reason for all of you to be cramped. Help yourselves to whatever you can find."

I mouthed him a silent "thank you" before turning back to my family. "What's the news on mom and Jiro?"

"We don't know yet," Shig said. "We've asked, but they haven't told us anything."

I looked over Shig's shoulder. The clock on the wall said that I had half an hour before I was supposed to meet up with the others. "Kakashi and I have to go. We're have to meet up with the others soon."

My grandmother hugged me one more time as a fresh batch of tears spilled down her cheeks. "You be safe. Don't do anything stupid."

"I will." As I backed away from my family I found it more difficult to hold myself together. All of them were either sad, angry, or both. "I'll bring them home." The door made a clicking sound as it closed behind Kakashi and I. I let out a heavy breath that I didn't realize I was holding.

The two of us started down the hallway in silence. My hands were curled into fists at my sides. We were about to turn a corner, but I was jerked sideways. Kakashi grabbed my arm and pulled me into a small storage closet. My back hit the door moments after it closed behind us. I looked up into his one visible eye with confusion. "What are you doing? We don't have time for this."

"Let it out."

My head fell forward as I let out another sigh. My hand flew to my forehead and rubbed lightly as I fought back my anger and tears. "Kakashi, I really can't do this right now." My words came out harsher than I intended, but I didn't care. The only thing I cared about was my cousin's safety.

"You need to let it out now before we leave or you won't stay focused."

"What do you want me to say? That I'm pissed and hurt and angry? T-that two I considered brothers, and some how still do, kidnapped my…members of my family? That I feel sick knowing that two people I love with all my heart are in life threatening danger? That I'm scared out of my mind? What do you want to hear!" I couldn't hold myself together any longer. Both of my hands covered my eyes as I cried. I could feel my entire body shake as my breaths came few and far in between. Two powerful arms encircled my body them moment I felt like I was going to fall. My head rested on his shoulder as his hands rubbed my back. "They're so little. W-we have to get them back, Kakashi. I need t-them in my arms." Even I couldn't fully understand what I was saying through the sobs and the tears. I didn't expect him to understand them either.

"We'll get them back. I promise."

He let me cry into his shoulder until my body stopped shaking, until I could breath properly, and until I could stand without help. My hand rubbed my eyes frantically to get rid of the remaining tears. I pulled back from his slightly, but he didn't drop his arms. "Thank you," I chocked out. He nodded his head before moving to the door. I watched as his hand grasped the silver doorknob, but I grabbed him. "Wait." My hands went to either side of his face and tugged his mask down. He didn't flinch or try to stop me. Instead, he leaned his head down slightly as mine tilted upward.

The moment our lips met almost all of my stress and sadness vanished. For those brief seconds I felt almost as good as I did all those years ago. Back before the problems, the betrayals, and the lies. As much as I wanted this feeling to last, my need to have the children back with me overpowered all positive feelings Kakashi was giving me. I pulled by head back and looked up into his one eye. "No more lies?"

"Never again." He kissed my forehead before pulling up his mask.

I gave him the best smile I could before turning towards the door. "You better not. You wont survive the next time."

/\/\

AN: I know I made this a little confusing, but Shig and Jiro are Minako's parents, Soi's aunt and uncle.  
>Takeo is Kayo and Juro's son, Soi's other aunt and uncle. And if you guys have forgotten, Jun is Soi's step-father.<p> 


	14. Home Again

"Spoken" _Thought/Flashback/Dream_ **Writing **

Chapter 13: Home Again

Shikamaru's POV  
>Soi-sensei didn't say a word the entire way to the village. It took about a day for us to get the village and by the time we got there….well, it looked like the fire had happened the night before. All of the buildings were now pieces of burnt rubble on the ground and the farming fields on the outskirts had no living plants on it. Some Suna and Konoha medical-nin were still shifting through the rubble to find and tag bodies.<p>

"Thank you for coming," a Suna shinobi said as he approached us. He was about as tall as Kakashi-sensei with dirty blond hair and dark brown eyes. "My name is Tatko. Whose in charge?"

"I am," Soi-sensei said as she maneuvered to stand in front of the group. "I'm Soi."

"Mouki Soi?" He seemed slightly skeptical when asking. She nodded her head in conformation. Tatko scanned a piece of paper that he had in his hand. He checked off something before giving us attention. "Nice to meet you. It's good to know that we've found one more survivor. We've covered about two-thirds of the village so far, but have yet to search the lake or farm areas. We have a list of bodies that have been identified and those who haven't."

Tatko gave Soi-sensei the lists. She quickly scanned the list before handing it to Sakura. "Can you help them with this?" Sakura nodded before taking the list. Soi turned to face us, her back now to Tatko. "Ok, Team 1, go do your job. If you haven't found anything, report back at nightfall. The rest of us will look around and see if we can find anything useful here." Team 1 disappeared from sights as they went to start the search. "Where are the other survivors? There are a few in Konoha, but what happened to everyone else?"

"We've found five survivors besides the ones that were sent to Konoha. Those five were sent to Suna."

"Who are they?"

Tatko looked over his list for a moment before answering. "The Oota family. Kukatta, Sallin, Eiji, Benji, and Kinta."

"There wasn't a Oota Shinji?"

"No. We found his body about an hour ago." Soi-sensei's head fell back as she let out a frustrated sigh.

"Alright, we're going to get to work. If you need anything feel free call us if you need help with anything." Tatko nodded before heading back to the mother medical nin, Sakura not too far behind him. "Ok, guys get to work. Shikamaru, you're with me." As everyone went their separate way I followed Soi-sensei to an unidentified burnt down building.

_I wonder if she's like this on every mission? Probably not, it has to be because this is a family related problem. She's too happy and care free to always be so pent up and protective._

I stopped outside the burnt building as sensei walked in. "That building looks like it's about to fall down. Should we really be going inside?"

"I'm sure we can make it out before it falls." Her voice was so flat, so emotionless. It was hard to believe that the woman in front of me is my teacher. Slowly, I followed her inside. The front door way lying on the floor. Some of the hinges were still attached to it, a sure sign that it was kicked in. A few things were still held together, but would never see the light of day again. There was a couch in the corner, but it was black, slanted, and springs were sticking out of the bottom. Broken glass from the windows were on the floor along with several pictures frames. The sound of glass cracking under my foot instantly made me take a step back.

A medium sized picture frame with a large crack in the middle looked up at me. What was unnerving were the people in it. I instantly recognized sensei and the people she introduced me to earlier, but there was a number of other people looking up at me. There must have been at least three generations looking back at me. The image was greatly distorted, but I knew what I was looking at

"I should apologies. I never warned you guys that I tend to have a stick up my ass during missions. Well, typically only battles, but this...mission is a little more personal."

"It's understandable." I sat the picture frame on a burnt table next to me, but the extra weight made it fall over. Sensei snapped her head to the side to see what made the noise, but quickly turned her attention forward again.

"You search the bottom floor and I'll check the second and third. The house is rather large so try not to get lost." I watch as she walked up the burn stairs, half expect them to give out under her. Only after she left my line of sight did I start looking through the house. The first room I went into was probably the dinning room. There was a large rectangular table with several burnt chairs surrounding it and almost everything was knocked over or upside down. I noticed that the wall on the far end of the room was darker than the rest, or at least the center of it was. That's probably where the fire started in this room. After that I moved to the next room.

This room must have been the game room. There were two couches, some chairs, and a large closet filled with crispy games boxes. There was one game on the floor, but I couldn't identify what it was. Like the previous room, one of the walls was darker than the others and the furniture and other items were disrupted. Whoever broke into the house was definitely looking for something and must have stood in the doorway of both rooms and used a fire jutsu to set the room on fire. As I searched through the rest of the house nothing seemed to stick out.

"Have you found anything," I yelled as I walked down the hall and back towards the stairs.

"All of the rooms are a mess and the packet my dad gave me is gone. You?" The floors above me squeaked as she scuffled around upstairs.

"I know for sure that the fire was started down here and most likely by a fire user. The rooms down here are a mess too."

"That would make sense," she said as she slowly came down the stairs. "The only thing I found was that the fire spread up the stairs and to the second floor. Your theory, as always, is right."

Her hand shot up to my head and pulled my pony-tail…again. "Must you do that?"

"Do you like it when I do that?"

"No."

"Then yes, I do." For the first time all day, she smiled. She began pulling me towards the door, by the back of my shirt, almost making me trip over the rubble. "Let's go help the others."

"Would you kill them if you were given the chance?" My side collided with her back as she stopped without warning.

"I'm honestly not sure." She was silent for a moment, seemingly contemplating her thoughts. "I know that I can fight them, but killing them…despite everything they've done to me…I still love them like brothers." I felt her hand leave my shirt, finally allowing me to stand of straight. "Could you kill Ino or Chouji?"

"Neither of them would try to kill my family."

"For the longest time I thought the same thing." She was so honest, so matter-of-factly when speaking that it was a little unsettling. When she spoke, she always spoke from the heart. She never tried to take back what she said, always meant what she said, and even had a way of making you feel stupid when asking some questions. Just like the one I just asked. "I won't lie, I've thought about killing them once or twice, but I don't think I could actually do it. Then again, maybe I could. I guess we'll see."

Silently, we exited the house and made our way farther into town. I don't know what she did while she was searching her house, but her mood was calmer. She stilled seemed pissed, but our conversation obviously showed that she wasn't as angry or was doing a very good job of hiding it. But I guess she must be calmer otherwise she wouldn't have touched me.

The rest of the day was spent searching the other buildings. The only strange thing that we found was that Soi-sensei's house was the only one that burned from the inside. As night began to creep up on us, Soi-sensei decided that we should stop.

"Alright, guys, we're done for the night. Let's go set up camp. The other's will be back soon." Team 2 set up camp next to the medical-nin's camp. Even though there was about an hour left of daylight Chouji and I made a fire in the middle of all our tents while Tenten and Lee started making the food. Once the medics were done with whatever troubling business they were doing they, along with rest of my team, came back to camp. We all sat around the fire and talked about the day's findings.

Before the sun fell completely under the horizon Kakashi, Ino, and Neji came back. "Did you guys find anything?"

"We didn't, but the others might have," Ino said as she walked over and sat next to the fire while Kakashi-Sensei moved to sit by Soi-sensei and Neji sat next to Lee.

Kurenai-sensei and I both looked around. "Aren't they with you," she asked.

Ino's eyes shot up from the fire and glanced around. "No. We split into two teams. They should be back by now."

Kurenai-sensei tightened the dark green blanket that was draped over her arms and scooted closer to the fire. "Let's give them a little while longer before panicking."

"Did you guys find anything while we were away," Kakashi-sensei said as he took out that ridiculous orange book.

Soi-sensei snatched the book out of his hand and sat on it. I don't think I've ever seen someone take anything from Kakashi-sensei let alone his pervy book. "My house was searched and burned from the inside, but all the other houses were burned from the outside. My father's packet is gone, but it could've been torched."

Soi's POV  
>You'd think by now that this idiot would learn not to read on missions. At least now it's in a safe place.<p>

"Whatever is or was in that packet must be important. Was anything else missing," Sakura asked as she took a bite of the instant ramen we brought along.

"Not that I could tell. Everything burnt, so it would be hard to tell if they took anything else."

As the other began talking what they had done all day, my mind started to wander. It felt a little strange coming back here, especially under these circumstances. The last time I was here it was bright sunny day and I was playing in the lake with the kids. Now the village is gone and smells like smoke. Sometimes it amazes me how things can change so fast.

In fact, where we're sitting now use to be my special place for the kids. Well, it stopped being mine after Sango blabbed to the entire family. This used to be a nice meadow filled with different colored flowers. Sometimes I'd take the kids here for a picnic. Now it's just dirt and burnt grass.

As I stood from my comfy spot by the fire all eyes turned to me. "I'm gonna go on a walk. I'll be back in a bit." No one said anything as I turned to leave, which I was silently thankful for.

Within minutes I was back at my house, or really the remains of it. The crispy wooden floors squeaked as I slowly made my way through the house. With a little bit of help from my imagination, the place began to fill with life again. The floors were shiny and polished and the walls were covered with pictures. The halls were filled children's laughter, dogs barking, and adults talking about nonsense. The sweet smell of breakfast, lunch, or dinner constantly clinging to the air.

Without really thinking about where I was going I headed to the third floor and onto the ruined balcony. It probably wasn't the wisest idea to walk out there, but I didn't care. My head fell back as I let out a pent up breath that I had been holding all day. As my head slowly rolled forward I caught sight of the lake. The water looked black as the moon's light reflected off of it.

As I jumped off the balcony I heard it crumble to pieces behind me, but I didn't turn to look at it. When I made it too the lake I instantly took my shoes off and walked it. Like always, the water was freezing, so I only went in until the water reached my knees. The wind picked up slightly, making my hair sway and forcing the water to swish against me. My arms instant wrapped around my upper body, trying to warm my exposed skin.

_I miss you, my babies…_

My head quickly snapped to the left as my body slightly turned to see what made the crunch sound from behind me. Kakashi was standing on the edge of the lake, just out of the waters reach. "You're going to get sick if you stay like that." I looked down at myself and realized that standing in freezing water, at night, in shorts and a tank top, while the wind is blowing probably wasn't a smart idea. But again, it wasn't like it was going to kill me.

I hopped up slightly so that I was standing on top of the water, my chakra helping my balance. "Better?"

"A little." I couldn't help my childish behavior, so I stuck my tongue at him and turned back to look at the lake. Not a moment later his arms were around me, caging me to his chest. "You were gone for a little over an hour. I got worried."

"Has it really been that long? It only seemed like twenty minutes or so." My head fell back and rested on his shoulder, his chin digging into my scalp. Once again, I felt at peace. The light chirping of crickets in the distance and moon slightly sticking out from behind the clouds set a wonderful mood. To bad it had to be under such circumstances.

"How are you feeling," he asked as his arms tightened even more.

"Calmer than I was earlier, but still on edge. I keep thinking what they could be doing to the kids, if anything at all. Not knowing is worse than not having them in my arms."

"At least we know they wont kill them. They need them alive if they hope to get you."

"I'm not too sure about that. I would go even if they did kill the kids, but so much time has passed…I don't know who they are anymore." For some reason, my heart broke a little at my own words. "Why do I still care for them? They've caused me nothing but trouble and heartache. Why can't I hate them?"

"Because it's not in your nature to hate. Anger, absolutely, but you're incapable of hatred."

"I'm too forgiving…"

"Yes you are." I felt his masked lips press against my temple as his arms tightened even more. His embrace was starting to become painful, but it was a pain I happily welcomed. "But that's one of the reasons I love you."

My heart immediately went to overtime at his words. Those three words always made me melt, but my happy moment was taken away by my thoughts. "I'm scared, Kakashi." Saying those words made my fears all too real. I'm not the type of person who scares easily; actually, it's just the opposite. I often go looking for a fright just to get my adrenaline going, but this…this was a fear that I never wanted to feel.

"We'll get them back. One way or another." Breathing came easier when he dropped his arms. I turned to look at him, but was slightly caught off guard by the feel of his lips on mine.

One of his hands dug through my hair, holding my head in place, while the other pressed on the small of my back, forcing me closer to him. My fingers glided through that messy hair of his as I relaxed into his body. Every inch of me that was touching him felt like it was on fire.

Our heated kiss seemed to last forever, but ended all too soon. His forehead rested on mine as we both tried to even out our breathing. "Do you feel more relaxed now," he asked with a ridiculously cocky grin.

I immediately pulled away and punched him in the arm playfully…sorta. "Did the others come back yet," I asked as I readjusted my pony-tail that he messed up while trying to hide my smile.

With his mask back in place, he took my hand and led me back to shore. "Not by the time I left, but I guess we'll find out soon enough."

/\/\

AN: I probably should mention that Soi does not have any children of her own. When she says, "my babies," or things like that she is referring to her cousins or some other small child. It's just her way of speaking.


	15. Enemy

AN: I wrote a bunch of chapters this weekend, so I'll post two.

"Spoken" _Thought/Flashback/Dream_ **Writing **

Chapter 14: Enemy

Soi's POV  
>"The love birds are back," Naruto chimed up while making a kissy-kissy face. Thankfully Sakura silenced him by cracking him on the back of the head.<p>

"Shut up Naruto! They're not dating." I smiled at Sakura's attempt to right the situation, but I let it go. They'll figure it out soon enough.

As we walked closer to camp I noticed that the others still weren't back yet. I wasn't too nervous about their absence before, but now my heartbeat picked up. "They should be back by now," I whispered to myself. "We should go search for the others. They should've been back by now."

Naruto, Shikamaru, Kakashi, and myself took to the trees while the others stayed behind. Kakashi summoned Pakkun when we reached the tree line. I couldn't hide my chuckle when he saw me. Poor little Pakkun didn't know what to do, but after a moment he regained composure. "So, the cat is back."

"That's right, little puppy."

"Not a puppy. What do you need?"

"To track the scent of our team members."

"Done and done." His little wet nose sniffed the ground for a moment before he rand into the forest. "So, how have you been, kitten?"

"I've been good up until now."

"What's going on?"

"Ichirou and Kouki are back."

"Wonderful." He sniffed the air for a second as we jumped from branch to branch. "There are a few scents that I don't recognize. Any idea who they might belong to?"

"Probably the people who helped Ichirou break into my house into my house." For the next half hour we ran through the woods silence. This was my first major mission with my team and it sucked. I have bee so pumped up to on a mission with them and THIS had to be our first. Fantastic…

Our feet hit the ground almost in rhythm as we lept from the trees. We stood by the side of a river. It wasn't a big river, but it was wide enough that we'd have to either have a running start or walk a crossed. Pakkun put his nose to the ground before looking up and down the river. "What's wrong, puppy?"

His cute little face was scrunched up with annoyance when he turned to look at us. "Something's not right. More scents have been added to the mix, but some of the trail ends here."

"They couldn't have just disappeared," Naruto blurted out as he took a slight running start, jumped, and landed in the middle of the river. Shikamaru rolled his eyes at the blond as Kakashi and I let out exasperated sighs. "We should split up. Two can go-"

The water under the blond's feet froze as ice crystals made their way up his legs. As the three of us were about to spring forward, but five forms suddenly blocked their way. Two of the five were all too familiar to the Leaf shinobi. "Hinata, Shino, what are you two doing," Kakashi asked in a husky voice, neither of them answering his question. Instead, they stood in battle ready positions and stared blankly at their comrades.

The remaining three were a mystery. Two of them wore Iwagakure forehead protectors while the third stood slightly behind the four shinobi. Her hair was a dark sapphire color that went to her hips with a strand falling over her left eye, her light aquamarine eyes glistening at them. The unknown woman had her hands on her hips and an annoyed scowl on her face. "You must be Soi. Am I correct?"

"Your name would be," I scoffed back.

The woman's frowned deepened at my lack of an answer. "My name it Letsu and I'm here to request that you meet with Ichirou."

"Where are our friend," Naruto yelled from behind her as he struggled to get free.

Letsu turned her head to the side so she could glare at the blond from the corner of her eye. "Ginka." Her voice was annoyed and commanding at the same time. One of the Iwa shinobi took a few steps back towards Naruto. Without any hesitation he punched the blond in the stomach and then in the face. "Thank you," she said as Ginka fell back in line.

My hands clenched into tight fists at my side as I tried to control my anger. "Where are our friends?"

Letsu's gaze fell back to me with annoyance. "Not here, but if you take the path behind me, on the other side of the river, Ichirou will tell you where they might be. It all depends on his mood. But you'll have to go by yourself."

"She's not going anywhere by herself," Shikamaru barked from my side. His hands were buried deep in his pockets and his face was blank, but what his face hid his eyes gave away. Rage flickered through those dark eyes of his. For a moment, it reminded me of myself a long time ago. Even now, I guess, when I'm trying to hide my anger.

Letsu let out an annoyed sigh as her head fell back. "I don't make the rules, I just follow them. If you want your friends and those annoying brats back, you'll do as you're told."

None of this made any sense, but I wasn't about to play a game of Chicken with my friends lives. "Fine." All eyes shot to me in an instant. I wanted our friends back, there's no lying about that, but above all I wanted the kids back. "But I'm not leaving without some reassurance." With the bite of my thumb and a few quick hand signals, Nana and Chihiro stood by my side. "Girls, keep an eye on them. Pakkun, come with me. I'll need your nose." Before anyone could object I jumped onto the river, behind my enemy and next to Naruto. The boy's icy prison shattered into frozen powder the moment my hand touched it. The second he was free I ran to the other end of river and into the trees, Pakkun close behind.

Kakashi's POV  
>It's just like her to run off without thinking. Or perhaps she did have a plan. Sometimes it was impossible to tell. Either way, it was extremely nerve racking that she ran off without a word. After Soi disappeared into the trees, Naruto quickly made his way to my side. "We can't let her go by herself," he yelled all too loudly, as always.<p>

"We don't really have a choice," I whispered down at him. I wanted to tell him that she would be fine, but I couldn't. Had this been any other enemy I wouldn't have a problem with her running off, but this wasn't an unknown danger. This one was too familiar.

I could see that Shikamaru was trying his best to stay focused and not lose control. "Hinata. Shino. What are you guy's doing?" Again, they didn't answer back. "What did you do to them?" Letsu stayed silent, but gave a little smirk.

"That's it! I've had enough." In a fraction of a second there were six Naruto's around me.

Letsu wagged her finger in a disapproving manner. "There is no reason to fight. Just stay calm and we wont have a problem."

"We already have a problem! You did something to our friends!" Naruto and his clones sprang towards the blue haired woman. Before the clones could come within five feet of the woman a wall of bugs appeared between them. The unnamed Iwa shinobi shot fireballs at Naruto and the clones, making the fake ones disappear. "Shino, what are you doing?"

"What I tell him to," Letsu said in a droll as she twirled a strand of her hair around her finger. Hinata shot forward and started hammering Naruto with her offensive attacks. Nana and Chihiro tried to intervene, but they were blocked by the Iwa ninja.

"Shikamaru, can you handle Shino by yourself," I asked as I pulled up my forehead protector and activated my Sharingan. "All of you try not to hurt Hinata and Shino. There's something not right."

"No problem."

Sounds of metal clinging together, grunts of pain, and some growls echo in the small area as I focused on Letsu. She was giving me an annoyed smile as both of her arms now fell to her sides. Her palms were facing down towards the ice. The frozen river moved slightly and formed three frozen snake like creatures.

_She could be an ice user like Haku or she could be the type who has to manipulate the elements to make ice._

The ice snake broke from the river and charged for me. As I jumped back I quickly formed fire jutsu hand signals. Fireballs flew from my mouth and made a direct hit with the snakes, but it did little damage. As the smoke cleared the three large snakes broke apart and formed six smaller snakes.

_If fire doesn't work, then I'll have to try something else._

Naruto's POV  
>"Some on, Hinata. Stop it!" I don't think I ever realized how fast Hinata was. I did my best to dodge her attacks, but landed a few on me every now and then. "Come on, I don't want to hurt you." Her face was completely blank as she continued at attack me. I grabbed her wrist as her palm headed towards my heart and flipped her over. She made a small "umph," sound as her bad hit the ground. "Stop this, Hinata," but she didn't listen.<p>

She got up so fast that it took me a second the registered what happened. Her hands reached to the pouch on her hip and took out a kunai. "If that's how it's going to be, fine."

As she charged me, I charged her. I'm not sure how long we were like that, but we seemed to be going in a patter. She'd attack, I'd block. I'd counter, she'd block. Her Byakugan made it so difficult for me to actually get anywhere. I jumped back from her in order to catch my breath. Protecting myself from her while trying not to hurt her seemed impossible.

The break between us definitely didn't help me at all. This bluish looking chakra formed on her first. It kinda looked like lions. It took me a second to realize where I saw that attack before, but then it hit me. "W-wait a second, Hinata." In the time it took me to take half a step back, she was already in front of me. As I dodged I could feel the heat of her fists scraped by me.

Shikamaru's POV  
>At the very least she could've told us what she was doing, but instead she runs off without a care in the world. How could she be so unreasonable? We could've come up with a plan.<p>

I could see that the others had their hands full with their fights. Nana and Chihiro were fighting against the Iwa ninja, but were holding their own rather well. This was my first time seeing Soi-sensei's summons in action and I have to give them their due. The unnamed Iwa shinobi kept throwing kunai and fireballs at them while Ginka summoned these strange looking rock creatures, but the girls kept on top of it.

One the other hand, I was having some trouble with Shino. Every time I tried to grab him with my shadow technique he would either jump out of the way or his bugs would get captured instead. "Come on, Shino. Stop playing around," but just like Hinata he didn't answer.

From a small distance away I heard Chihiro roar in pain. "Stay focused, Chihiro," Chihiro said as she bit down on the unnamed Iwa ninja. He fell to the ground in pain, holding onto his side where the puma bit him. The man tried to squirm away from her, but she placed her massive paw on his chest. Her head started down towards his throat, but I stopped her before she had the chance to kill him.

"Don't kill him, Nana. He's not himself."

"What makes you so sure? Hinata and Shino are one thing, but we know nothing about these Rock shinobi."

"Even better that you don't kill them," Kakashi added as he dodged then counter against the ice snakes.

Nana scowled at us, but did as she was told. Instead of biting him, she laid on his chest. Chihiro dodged a quick attack from her sparing partner and roughly knocked him to the ground. As his back hit the ground, Nana mimicked Chihiro's action of laying on her pray.

"Hinata. Shino. Fall back," Letsu said as she leapt into the trees. Like dogs listening to their master's orders, both of them took to the trees, the six ice snakes followed them. Letsu formed several hand seals and suddenly the river turned into two giant icy beasts; a lion and a wolf.

Naruto and I jumped back and stood next to Kakashi-sensei. "Any ideas?"

"You're the genius, Shikamaru. Think of something."

"Thanks, Naruto."

"Enough you two," Kakashi-sensei ordered. "I'll take the lion, you guys take the wolf. I recommend exploding tags."

I glanced at him from the corner of my eye for a split second before focusing on the ice monsters again. "I watched you use fire against the snakes earlier and all that did was make them multiply."

"True, but if you use multiple exploding tags at once, chances are they'll break. And when I used fire it weakened the snakes. Down side was that they multiplied, so try and use as many tags as possible."

Naruto turned to smile at us with that ridiculous grin of his. "I've got a better idea." A second Naruto appeared out of a puff of smoke and had an equally big grin on his face. "Hold them still." I did as he asked and used my shadow technique to hold both the ice beasts still. As Naruto started to for the Rasengan, Kakashi-sensei followed his lead and started on the Chidori.

My hold on the ice creatures was quickly fading as the struggle against my grasp. "Hurry it up. They're strong."

"On it," they both said before bolting forward. Naruto smashed the Rasengan on the wolfs forehead as Kakashi-sensei sliced through the lion with ease. The two ice monsters shattered into pieces in seconds.

Naruto smiled over at me before turning to smile at Letsu. "Easy enough. What's next?" Letsu gave him annoyed smiled before forming more hand singles.

"Stop mocking her you idiot," I yelled at him as I threw an explosive tag at her. Shino's bugs caught the tag in mid air and exploded with it. "Damnit."

The ice started morphing again until another, even larger beast. Kakashi created another Chidori and was about to attack the moving ice, but Shino's bugs got in the way.

"These things are so annoying," Naruto yelled as he tried to swat them away.

"Try being on the same team as him. It took me a while to get use to it," a female voice said from behind us. We all turned to see Kurenai-sensei, Sakura, and Lee landing on the ground after jumping from the trees.

"How did you know we needed help," Kakashi asked as looked over at our backup.

"Pakkun told us. Everyone, stand behind me." Without a second thought the three of us jumped behind her. Her fingers were elegantly placed in front of her as the area began to shift.

Catching on to what was going on I put finger in the proper order to break her genjutsu, the others followed my lead. Shino's bugs quickly became disoriented and started back towards their master.

"Shino, get control of them," Letsu ordered. Shino tried his hardest to get the bugs to listen to him, but they continue the swarm. "Must I do everything myself!" The ice beast finished morphing and a massive ice bear stood before us. It's head poked up over the trees as it let out a distorted roar.

"This doesn't seem fun," Naruto commented, as he looked wide-eyed at the giant ice beast.

Kakashi looked over at Kurenai-sensei as she continued to concentrate on confusing Shino's bugs. "Kurenai, can do what you're doing to the ice bear?"

"Probably not. It's not a living creature with a mind of it's own."

"Sakura, can you break it?"

"Sure."

"Good. I'll go first to distract it. All you need to do is follow behind me."

"Got it." I watched as the two ran towards the ice bear and silently hoped that the plan would work. They were about ten feet away from it before Hinata jumped in front of Kakashi-sensei and bombarded him attacks. Sakura jumped around them, but was swatted away by the ice bear. Lee caught her effortlessly before she hit the ground. "Uh, thanks Lee," she said she started rubbing her head.

Lee placed her lightly on the ground while trying to steady her. "No problem."

The ice bear turned slightly and growled at Soi-sensei's summons. The girls instantly stood up and growled back. Through his obvious pain, Ginka sat up slightly and formed hand signals. Three rock monsters stood between him and the girls. "Nana, behind you," I shouted.

Nana and Chihiro turned around, but was tackled by the rock creatures. I charged forward to help them, but Shino jumped from the trees to block my way. "Move, Shino," I ordered, but he didn't step out of the way. The two of us bounced back and forth between offense and defense for the longest time until a loud, commanding voice halted everyone's movements.

"That's enough," the voice echoed through the air. I turned to see Soi-sensei holding a little girl in her arms and a little boy riding on Yuuka's back. "We're finished here," she said as she stepped out from the shadow of the trees and across the river. "Letsu, Ichirou said to follow plan A." She did not turn to look at the blue haired woman as she spoke. Instead, her eyes were fixated on the ground and she continued towards us.

"Sensei, we can't just walk away from this."

"Don't question me, Shikamaru. All of you are to do as I say!"

"But-"

"I said enough!" My entire body involuntarily flinched at her tone. Not once had I ever heard her raise her voice in such a manner. The little girl in her arms began to cry, probably from Soi-sensei's rage. She turned to look at the girl in her arms and squeezed her tightly. "I'm sorry, baby. Please don't cry." Her voice, her face, her entire persona did a U-turn as she comforted the child. Her voice was soft and loving as her eyes filled with sorrow. "Please don't cry."

Letsu dropped from her spot in the tree and landed on the other side of the river. "Shino. Hinata. I want you to return with your friends and in one hour you will be released from me." Even at a distance I could tell that Letsu's blue eyes had some how turned pink. When she was finished speaking her eyes turned back to normal. Her fingers were intertwined in an all too familiar way as she turned to look at the massive ice bear. The bear broke into a thousand pieces and the turned into water. Everyone who was standing on the frozen river quickly retreated to land as it also turned back into water. "Ginka. Rokurick. I release you," and just like that, she was gone.

Ginka, and the now identified Rokurick, both blinked in confusion as they looked around. It seemed to take them a moment to realize that they were in pain before Rokurick started screaming in pain. "Where are we," Ginka asked as he looked over at us. "What happened?"

"You don't know," Kakashi-sensei asked as he put his forehead protector back over his eye. Sakura rushed to their sides and started treating their wounds.

"Soi, why did you let her go," Kurenai-sensei asked as she made her way to stand by the explosive ninja.

Soi-sensei placed a hand over the little girls ear and lightly pushed the girls head to her chest. She tilted her head towards Kurenai-sensei and whispered something to her. Kurenai-sensei pulled back and looked at her in confusion. "Once Sakura is done healing them, we're heading back to camp to get the others and going home."

"What about Guy-sensei and the others," Lee asked frantically.

"We'll see them soon."


	16. Familiar Eyes 2

"Spoken" _Thought/Flashback/Dream_ **Writing **

Chapter 15: Familiar Eyes 2

Soi's POV  
>When I was deep enough in the trees to not be seen I ordered Pakkun to return to camp and tell the others. "Are you crazy? Kakashi would kill me if I left you alone."<p>

"And I'll kill you if you don't get moving." I know I shouldn't have projected my frustration out on him, but I couldn't help myself. "I'm sorry," I said as I let out a huge breath. "Please, just go back to camp and tell the others. Kakashi and the others might need backup."

Pakkun gave me an annoyed gruff before turning his back to me. "Be careful," he said before running off into the trees. I took off towards the direction Letsu told me as soon as he was out of sigh.

_I'm coming, babies._

The entire time I ran through the woods the only thing I could think about were the kids and if they were ok. Was Ichirou with them? Was he taking care of them? Have they been properly taken care of? "Uhhh! This is bullshit," I screamed into the air.

It didn't take me long to reach Ichirou's little hide out. The run down cabin in the middle of the moods screamed Ichirou. As I walked up to the front door the scent of blood hit me hard. There was blood on the front steps and in the bushes that grew close to the front door. I internally panicked and burst through the front door. The entry way screamed at me in silence. There wasn't so much as a squeak of the floorboards or the sound of the wind blowing through the mostly destroyed house.

I stood in the doorway and looked around the open house. What seemed to be a living room was off to the far left and a staircase was staring at me. When the coast was clear I slowly proceeded into the house. I wasn't even three feet into the house before the thundering sounds of footsteps drew my attention to the stairs.

"Soi," an all too familiar voice said as I stared at him. Ichirou's bright, beautiful, and captivating eyes twinkled with excitement as he continued down the steps. "Soi, it's so good to see you!" His strong arms circled around my waist and twirled me in a circle. It became difficult to breath as he squeezed to him. "I'm so happy you're here."

For a split second, for just a moment, I wanted to say I wanted to say the same. The old Soi would've welcomed his loving embrace, but new Soi wanted him dead. To bad both sides of me were fighting it out. "Ichirou, let me go."

He set me on my feet, like a breakable little doll, and kissed my forehead before pulling back to look at me. "I can't believe it's true. I didn't believe Kouki at first, yet here you are." He looked like a little kid who just received the toy that he had been begging for. My breath caught in my throat when I saw the salty liquid building up in his eyes. "You…you're…why would you do something like that to us? We fell apart when we heard you died."

Ichirou started pacing the room while rubbing his head frantically, messing up that beautiful blond hair of his. "Do you know what we've been doing? What we've done?" He looked over at me for a second before pacing again. "We broke into Konoha to try and find that scroll that brings people back to life. The one with the...the...the Impure World Resurrection. We heard what Orochimaru did with it and we knew we could bring you back."

I'm sure my jaw would've hit the floor if it weren't attached. "I'm not sure if I should be offended by that statement or not." He stopped his ridiculous pacing and looked up at me with tear filled eyes. "Why the hell would you think that I would want to come back! Especially like that! I would have no free will of my own, nothing! And I wouldn't be the Soi you idiots claim to love so much." I wanted to lash out at him, hurt him, do something to him that would cause him physical pain, but the old Soi held me back. "Why wouldn't you let me rest in piece?"

"Because you were too young to have died," he whispered.

"We're shinobi, Ichirou. Every day could be our last. You know that as well as I do."

"But not for someone like you." He walked back over to me and held my hands in his. My mind screamed at him for doing so. He knew full well that I was pissed, but tested my limits anyway. "You've always been kind and caring. You're a perfect friend and a perfect shinobi. You aren't allowed to die until you're an old lady."

My head fell forward as I squeezed his hands tightly. His words were kind, but he didn't seem to understand what I was trying to say. I have to give myself a round of applause for not making his hands explode. Kami knows part of me wanted to. Instead, I changed the subject. "Did you find the scroll," I asked between forced breaths as I tried to calm down.

"No."

"Who is Letsu?"

"A talented shinobi from the Rock. You'd like her." My head instantly shot up as I glared at him. "Well, you'd like her under normal circumstances."

"What can she do?"

"It's a little hard to explain. She can control people with the sound of her voice, but in order to get them under her spell she has to look them in the eyes." His hands instantly shot to his mouth, as his eye grew wide. "I wasn't supposed to tell you that." Typical Ichirou. He could never hide anything from me. His ability to ramble was his best and worst characteristic.

"How long can she keep control over someone?"

"Not a chance! I'm not saying anything."

"Ichirou…"

"No. Kouki will get mad."

_Kouki._

My mind raced with memories of him, of both of them. Back to a happier time where we weren't at odds. "Where is Kouki?"

"At Iwa. Damnit!" I couldn't hide my smirk of satisfaction at his inability to sensor himself. "Look, don't ask me anymore questions."

"Whose blood is out? Where are my friends? Where are the kids? Why is Kouki in Iwa? What-" He placed a hand over my mouth and shushed me.

"The blood belongs to the previous owners of this house, your friends are safe, and the kids are upstairs." My eyes instantly shot to the steps behind. "Don't worry, they're safe. They just went to sleep about ten minutes ago." He took his and away from my mouth and held my hands again. "Now I need you to listen to me, ok? What I'm about to say if very important." I looked back at him, into those beautiful eyes of his. "Where are your father's notes?"

My brows knitted together in confusion. "His what?"

"His notes, Soi."

"What notes?"

"We searched your house before torching it and we didn't find them anywhere. Where did you hide them?"

"Ichirou, I have no idea what you're talking about."

His head fell forward as he let out an annoyed sigh. "Things are not going to end well if you don't help me out a bit."

I jerked my hands out of his and glared at him. "What reason would I have to lie? My father never gave me any notes. He didn't even tell me what he was working on. He said it was a surprise."

"It would've been a very good surprise, believe me."

"And how would you know? You never went to Iwa." Ichirou looked down at the floor and scratched the back of his head. A shinobi is not supposed to show when they're worried or hiding something. This idiot just did both. "When did you go to Iwa? How many times?"

He looked up at me with guilt filled eyes. "I've been there once."

"What did you do?" My voice grew hard as my body stiffened. He might seem like a sweet and innocent person on the outside, but on the inside he was as twisted as Kouki.

"We were just passing by. We stopped at this inn and met this guy. He seemed really nice."

"And," I pressed.

"And…and I need your father's notes. Do you have any idea where they could be? We already took the ones that were in Konoha, but that was only part of them." My eyes grew wide with disbelief at his words.

"My father hid research notes in Konoha?"

The look on his face told me that he had to back track and think about what he said. "Gah! Why can't I stop talking?"

"What are the notes about?"

"Something…important. The pages are split up into to thirds, so what we have is useless without the other pieces."

My mind raced with possibilities as to what my father could have been working on. A new technique? Or perhaps a new medical breakthrough. Either way, I had to find out. "What makes you think the notes are broken up into thirds?"

"Because the notes we found were pages 2, 5, 8, and so on. They have to be in thirds."

_So, if they're in three parts, then the rest of his notes are in two places. Where would dad hide them?_

Realization hit me like a brick as I caught on to what was going on. "Is there a section of notes in Iwagakure?"

I could tell Ichirou was trying his hardest to keep quiet. "You're like a sister to me and I don't like keeping secrets from you, but believe me when I say this is all for your own good."

"My own…my own what! Are you out of your mind?" He put his hands up defensively and took a step back. "How are dead bodies and a destroyed village 'for my own good'?"

"Please understand that we're doing this for you."

"DOING WHAT!"

"Soi," a small voice said from afar. On the steps stood a sleepy Takeo. Every fiber in my being instantly relaxed as I watched the little boy rub the sleep from his eyes.

"Hi big man." My voice came out cracked as I felt the sting of tears threaten to let loose. "Go wake up Minako and I'll be up to get you in a second." As if he were a zombie, he slowly made his way up the stairs and out of my sight.

"I didn't do anything to them," Ichirou said in a calm voice. "They've been taken care of well. I wouldn't let anything happen to them." My eyes flickered over to him as I glared into his bright eyes. "Bette me than Kouki, right?" Sadly, I had to agree with his statement. Kouki was wonderful with children, but when he got angry his temper quickly grew out of control. His history of turning on his love ones in his fit of rage astounding. On the other hand, Ichirou is as much of a big child as Kouki is, but very rarely got angry and when he did he never took it out on his friends.

"Thank you for keeping them safe." I gave him a small, almost nonexistent smile to show him that I was serious.

His eyes lit up once again as he smiled back at me. "No problem."

"If…if you were set on keeping the kids safe, why did you burn the village?"

He shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly as he continued to smile. "Something to do." Those three words reminded me why I couldn't trust him. Although his heart filled with a loving fire for Kouki and I, it was like ice to the rest of the world.

I'll admit that there was a time I was almost as heartless. In battle I try to be as calm and as carefree as possible while still trying to focus on the task at hand. If I wasn't calm I could easily use my ability to hurt the wrong person. But, and this is a major but, any time I see someone I love getting hurt all I see is red. It's because of that reason that I joined the ANBU interrogation squad, that's how I met Ibiki. I could cause someone as much or as little pain as I wanted and with a medical ninja on hand to fix the damage I caused, I could torture for hours.

I walked passed my friend….no, my ex-friend and comrade, and headed up the stairs. The sounds of Takeo talking drew my down the hall and to a room on the left. Takeo was trying to wake up his cousin, but she wouldn't budge from her dream world. As I knelt down beside them I lightly placed a hand on Minako's arm and shook her lightly. "Minako, sweetie, its time to wake up now. I'm going to take you home."

She moaned something inaudible before slowly opening her eyes to look at me. "Soi," she mumbled.

Tears once again threatened to over take me at the sound of her voice. "Yeah, its me baby. I'm going to take you home now." Her hands stretched out to me as I picked her up. That tiny little head of hers rested against my shoulder as her arms lightly dangled around my neck. It didn't take long for her to fall back asleep. "Are you awake enough to walk, little man?"

Takeo yawned while nodding his head. I held onto his hand lightly while my other arm supported Minako's weight. We made our way down the steps together in a comfortable silence. When we reached the bottom of the steps, Ichirou gave me a half hearted smile as he held the front door open. "I wish you could stay." My grip on Takeo's hand tightened as I led him out the door. "Tell Letsu to follow plan A. And if you want your friends back safely, you need to let her go."

I stopped short, just outside the door, and turned to look at him. "Why would I do that?"

"Because if you don't your friends will kill themselves." I glared at him again. Why would they kill themselves? "It's our failsafe. Trust me, you're going to want to let her go."

"You have got to be…fine."

"They'll be sent back to you by the end of the week…hopefully."

"Nothing better happen to them."

"I'll do my best to make sure nothing does." Even though I knew I shouldn't trust him, I did. Not once in all of our time together has he ever lied to me. I turned my back to him and started walking towards the woods. "Long hair looks good on you," he shouted from his place by the house. Although he couldn't see I rolled my eyes at him.

About five minutes into our walk Takeo announced that he couldn't walk any farther. "Are we almost home? I'm tired."

I chuckled at his complaint. "No, baby, but you don't have to walk anymore if you don't want to." With a little more effort than I was expecting I untangled myself from Minako's sleepy grasp and set her on the ground. She complained that she was too tired to stand, but I told her she didn't have to stand for long. I quickly summoned Yuuka before picking up Minako. Yuuka looked at me, then to Takeo, and then back at me. "I know I have a lot to explain, but can you carry him please? I'll explain everything later."

Yuuka nodded her head and bent down slightly to allowed Takeo to climb on her back. Once again, with more effort than should have been needed, I maneuvered Minako onto my back. Once we were situated Yuuka and I took off into the forest.

_Alright, so if Kouki has part of dad's notes and he's about to get another one, possibly, then that means there's one left. Where is the third part? What could he have been working on?_

"Are you listening to me, Soi?"

I looked to my right and saw Yuuka staring at me. "I'm sorry. What did you say?"

"I asked if you were all right?"

"More or less. I feel a bit better now that I have the kids, but now I have something new to think abo-" My sentence was cut short by this sudden bolt of pain that shot through my arm. It only lasted a second, but the random occurrence made me stop running.

"What's wrong?"

"I…nothing." Yuuka looked at me with a worried expression, but didn't say anything else. She knew not to press an issue with me. Especially since I'd probably end up telling her anyway.

It didn't take us long to get back to the river. When we got there Kurenai, Lee, and Sakura had joined the party and there was a giant…ice bear. That made me do a double take. A giant ice bear in the woods? I guess it was a good thing that I sent Pakkun for help. I brought Minako to rest in my arms again, just so I could see her as we approached the dangerous dance of shinobi before us. Although I could feel her on my back, I felt safer when I could see her.

"That's enough," I yelled as I entered the battlefield, all eyes snapping to my direction. "We're finished here." As I stepped out from under the shadows of the trees I noticed what a wreck the place had become. There were bits of ice everywhere, scorch marks on the ground, and everyone look like crap. "Letsu, Ichirou said to follow plan A," I said as Yuuka and I crossed the frozen river.

Shikamaru looked thoroughly annoyed at my judgment call. "Sensei, we can't just walk away from this."

I looked him dead in the eyes as I continued forward. "Don't question me, Shikamaru. All of you are to do as I say!" I couldn't risk saying much more. Ichirou probably wasn't allowed to tell me as much as he did, so I had to play my cards right.

"But-"

"I said enough!" I felt a sharp pain run through me as he flinched at the sound of my voice. I didn't want to be so cold to him, but we had to leave. Tsunade needs to be told about what's going on.

Minako stirred in my arms and started to cry, probably from me yelling. "I'm sorry, baby. Please don't cry," I begged in a soft voice. "Please don't cry." Her tears were short lived as she calmed back down. I continued to focus on her as Letsu ordered Hinata and Shino to go with us and paid no attention to Sakura running somewhere that was currently out of my line of sight.

Kurenai made her way to me with a confused and concerned ridden face. "Soi, why did you let her go?"

I put my free hand over Minako's ear and lightly forced her to lay her head on my chest. My head stretched out as far as it could go so I was close enough to whisper into my friend's ear. "Because our friends would die if I didn't." Kurenai pulled away from me with a confused and worried look. "Once Sakura is done healing them, we're heading back to camp to get the others and going home," I announced.

"What about Guy-sensei and the others," Lee asked frantically. He looked like he was about to jump out of the tight green suit of his.

"We'll see them soon."

_I hope._


	17. Lost And Found

F th"Spoken" _Thought/Flashback/Dream_ **Writing **

Chapter 16: Lost And Found

Soi's POV  
>The moment we stepped through the massive gates of Konoha I B-lined it for the hospital while everyone else headed for the Hokage's Tower to give their statements. By now Takeo and Minako were wired with excitement to be in a new place. As we walked through the street the asked me thousands of questions about the village. I didn't expect them to get over what happened to them so quickly. It was almost frightening. "Come on guys. We have to go to the hospital." We would've been there by now if they weren't stopping every five seconds to either beg me to buy them something or ask me another question.<p>

"But I don't like doctors," Takeo whispered as he made his way back to my side. When Takeo was four he came down with a sudden illness that almost took his life. His parents took him to Kirigakure for treatment, but he remained hospitalized for a little over a year. It killed me inside not being able to go see him, but my family kept me well up to date about his condition. Ever since then he's hated doctors.

"I know, but you guys need a check up."

"When can we go home," Minako asked as she ran back to my side from looking at the, "pretty flowers," she was gawking at.

How do you tell a child that their home was destroyed? That everything they knew was gone? "We'll see everyone soon." Thankfully she is too young to understand how I dodged the question.

When we reached the hospital a nurse took us to an unoccupied checkup room. "The doctor will be with your shortly," she said before exiting the room.

Minako came to sit on my lap as I sat in a chair in the corner while Takeo propped himself on the examination bed. "Why do we have to get checkups?"

"To make sure nothing…happened while you guys were away."

"That man was nice to us," Minako said as she played with a strand of my long hair. "He told us stories about you and let us eat a lot of sweets."

Ichirou telling them anything about my earlier days could be good or Earth shattering. There were parts of my history I'd very much like to keep from them. "Really? What kind of stories did he tell you?"

"He told us the one about how the two of you met." I hid my smile by pressing my lips to the back of Minako's head. That was a funny day in deed.

"What other stories did he tell you?"

It was now Takeo's turn to tell his side of the story. "He told us that you're old team was the ultimate team! That you guys were incredible." He looked like his face was going to fall off from smiling so much. "He said you guys could beat anybody." Although my smile stayed in place, I frowned internally. It's comments like that, that reminded me how we ended up in this predicament.

I brief knock on the door singled us that the doctor was read. A man who seemed to be in his forties waltzed into the room with a smile. "Good afternoon. My name is Dr. Kenatawa and I'll be giving you guys a check up." Takeo frowned and walked over to me while the doctor looked at the clipboard in his hands. "This is the first time they've ever been seen here," he asked without looking up from the board.

"That's right," I answered.

"And what doctor were they seeing before they were transferred here?"

"Dr. Atri in Crystal Lake Village."

"And he didn't give you any kind of records to give us?"

I eyed the kids quickly before returning my gaze to him. "There were some…shinobi related incidences at the village. All records have been destroyed."

He finally tore his eyes away from his clipboard and looked at me. We silently exchanged information through our glances. He seemed to catch on to what I wasn't saying. "Alright then," he said with another smile as he looked at the kids. "Who wants to go first?"

After several tests and many complaints, the kids were given a clean bill of health. They both receive a sticker and a lollypop for being well behaved during their exams. Hand in hand we exited the children's section of the hospital and went to ICU wing.

The nurse who was monitoring the front desk gave us a smile as we approached. "Hello. How can I help you?"

"I'm looking for Rinno Jiro and Mattu Gina."

The nurse scanned several pieces of paper before giving me the answer I was looking for. "Rinno Jiro is in critical condition and hasn't woken up yet, but Mattu Gina was discharged a few hours ago." A few hours ago? She was in critical condition when I left and I was only gone for three days. As for my uncle…

"Can you tell me what is wrong with Jiro?"

"Are you family?"

"I'm is niece." She gave me a skeptical look. "Can you look past the fact that my skin color and my hair is different and tell me what's wrong with my uncle?"

"I'm sorry dear, but unless you have some way of proving that you're kin, there's nothing I can do."

"Fantastic," I scoffed as I started towards the exit.

"What's wrong with daddy? Why is he in the hospital," Minako asked between licks of her lollypop.

"He's not feeling well right now, but he'll be better soon." How many lies am I going to tell this kid? I don't know how badly he was hurt or if he'll ever get better.

We walked through the village peacefully until an overly perky voice halted our advancement to my apartment. "Soi," the happy voice chimed as its owner collided with my back. "It's about time you came back."

"Thanks, Anko." I said as I tried to turn to face her. She let go of me when she realized what I was trying to do.

"It's a good thing you came back when you did. You've messed a lot."

"Fantastic," I said with an eye roll. A tight squeeze on my hand brought me back from my moment of annoyance as I realized how rude I was being. "Anko, this is Minako and Takeo."

Anko grinned down at them and gave them a slight wave. "Hiya."

"Anko is a very close friend of mine. If you ever need anything while I'm not around, ask her. It's not like she has anything important to do anyway."

"Hey!" I playfully stuck my tongue out at her as she gave me a fake look of hurt. "I was going to tell you about your new house, but I guess I don't have to now."

"My what?"

"Your house. Well, you're families new house, but it's still partly yours."

Now I was beyond confused. "Anko, what are you talking about? I've only been gone for three days. How could we have a house?"

"See kids, you aunty-"

"Cousin," I corrected.

Anko rolled her eyes and she bent down to Minako and Takeo's level. "You're cousin is what I like to call an in-the-box thinker. She doesn't get the whole pictures." Although the joke was far over their heads, the kids laughed anyway.

For the millionth time it seemed, I rolled my eyes at her. "What are you talking about?"

My so-called friend, who seemed to enjoy embarrassing my in front of my cousins, stood back up and smirked at me. "Who do you know that can manipulate wood?"

"Yamato," I answered flatly.

"And," she pressed.

It took me a second to realize where she was going with this conversation and it made me feel stupid for not catching on sooner. "No way!"

"He even went so far as to make dressers, bed frames, all that other junk."

"You have got to be kidding me. Why would he do all of that?"

"He owed you one, remember?" I thought back on our days as ANBU and remembered the life-threatening incident we were in. Long story short I save that tree grower's life and he owed me one.

"I didn't mean that he had to build my family a house."

"Just say thank you the next time you see him. The house is on the edge of town by the bookstore." She made a move to walk away, but stopped short and looked back on the kids. "Hey, if you guys ever want to get on your cousins nerves, call her Reaper."

"Anko!"

"Or Grim and Silent will work."

"Shut up," I yelled as the kids laughed. Anko walked away with a smirk on her face as the kids kept asking why they shouldn't call me those names. "Because…because you're too young to know why. Just don't say it."

The walk to the house was short since we were already close to it, but it felt like forever. The little monkeys wouldn't stop asking me why they couldn't call me those names. I stopped in front of the three-story house that stood on the lot that had been vacant three days ago. "Who lives here," Minako asked from my side.

"This man when overboard," I whispered to myself before answering the little girl. "You do." Both of the kids gave me confused looks. "Let's just go in and look around." The wooden porch steps didn't make a sound as I walked towards the front door, the kids close behind me. The front door was unlocked, like I expected it to be. The three of us walked into the big house and was hit with the strong smell of mouth-watering food and the sound of chatter.

"Mommy," the kids yelled in unison as they ran down an unexplored hallway, towards the source of the voices.

I walked down the same hallway the children disappeared in. There were boxes and packing tape everywhere. Rolls of carpet and staple guns lay on the floor in the room off of the entryway. When I reached my unknown destination, my eyes filled will with joyful tears. Shig was holding Minako in her arms so tightly that I thought the little girl's head was about to pop off. Kayo and Juro were crying as Kayo held Takeo in her arms. The rest of the family were swooning over the children, saying how much they missed them and how happy they are that the kids were back. I leaned of the wall and watched the magical scene before me.

My mother's head shot in my direction after a moment of praising the children. I smiled down at her as she quickly walked over to give me a hug. "I'm so happy you're back!" I returned my mother's hug with as much force as she was giving me. A few tears fell down her eyes as she pulled back to look at me. "You look like hell," she said through a laugh.

I laughed too as I looked down at myself. My hair was messy, I was covered in soot, and smelled like smoke. None of which I noticed until now. "I guess I am a bit disgusting."

The next few people to hug me were Jun, Manabu, Obaa-san, and then everyone else. I felt like I was some kind of toy being passed around, but I didn't mind. Aunt Kayo and Uncle Juro both cried happy tears as the hugged and thanked me. Aunt Shig, who seemed extremely reluctant to let go of her daughter, came over to me and squeezed me tightly. "Thank you so much. Thank you."

We released each other and I gave her a smile. I looked around the room, which happened to be a large kitchen, and giggled. "How is it that I'm the one who saved Yamato's life, but you guys benefit from my work?"

"Because we're awesome," Manabu said as he grabbed and apple out of a large bowl that was placed decoratively on the island.

"He was kind enough to offer to help us," Obaa-san corrected as she gave my brother a scolding look. "He found out about our predicament and…well, he gave us this."

"What about the pluming? The insulation?"

"He made the foundation and outline first. The pluming and insulation was put in the same day, and then he finished the rest. We had to get everything else. And you must have a lot of friends here. I've never seen someone connect pluming and install insulation so fast."

"Except some of the furniture," I added.

"How did you know," Manabu asked will a full mouth of apple.

"Anko." Almost everyone nodded their heads in realization. "But the house looks nice. A little paint and some carpeting and this place will be perfect." As I continued to look around I noticed that there were tons a shopping bags all over the place. "Just out of curiosity, how big is my tab and in which stores?"

The room fell silent beside Manabu's enthusiastic laughter. "We intended to pay you back for all of it."

My head rolled back as I let out a groan, which made Manabu laugh at me even more. "Wonderful." I held my hand out towards them, my palm facing up. "Keys, please." My mother went to the island in the middle of the kitchen and opened a drawer. When she came back she placed three keys in my hand, one I didn't recognize.

"The pink one with flowers is the key to the house."

"You spent my money on decorative keys?"

"Sango wanted them," Chiasa spoke up from her little area in the kitchen. "How could we say no?"

I rolled my eyes, backing up towards the front door. "You're all crazy and I have to go report to the Hokage. P.S. I took the kids to the hospital and the doctor said they're fine."

"You're such a wonderful cousin," I heard my mother say as I turned away from them and faced the door.

"I'm a broke cousin," I grumbled.

"Wait," Manabu's yelled as he ran towards me. "I almost forgot." He ran up the stairs that was near the front door and down the hall. A few minutes later he came trotting back down the steps with a crispy envelope in his hands. He handed it to me with a proud look on his face. "I grabbed this for you before your psychotic teammate and his friends burnt down the house." I looked at the envelope, then at him, then back to the envelope. I quickly ripped it open and took at the handful of papers that were inside. As I flipped through the pages I noticed that there was a number at the bottom of them, each skipping two numbers as they increased.

_There is no way my luck is this good,_ I thought to myself.

A smaller piece of paper fell from my hands as I continued to flip through the pages. Manabu was kind enough to pick it up and hand it to me. "Hold these for a sec," I said as I shoved the papers into his chest while simultaneously taking the smaller paper from him. I was hoping that it would be more notes, but instead it was a message from my father.

**Hey there baby girl. If you're reading this then I'm not with you anymore. I know that these papers may not make a lot of sense, but the information that they hold could save your life one day. I wrote in my Will that if I was to die before my research was finished, that all of my notes were to be separated, just in case the others got to them. One part going to you, one part going to Konoha's secret file storage, and the last going to Iwagakure's secret file storage. I wasn't sure which village I wanted to have it, so I split them. I want you to decide where my research is to be completed, but make sure you follow it. You need to stay with my work. I love you so much and I hope my last gift to you will change your future for the better.  
>Love always,<br>Daddy.**

I read the message a few time before I shoved the note in my pocket. "Am I the best brother or what?"

I gave my self-absorbed brother a kiss on the cheek before taking the papers from him and bolting out of the house. "You're the best."

/\/\

AN: Ooooh. I wonder what Adatta left his daughter.


	18. Forgetting

Just so the next few weeks of updating, and perhaps not updating, don't come as a shock to anyone, I'm going to explain my next few weeks. These next two weeks are going to be killer for me, so there is little chance of me writing for this story. But I'm not the type who enjoys flaking out on things. I will do my hardest to write something for this story, even if it's a minimum to 2,000 words and if for some reason I can't update during my normal time, I will up date two chapters the next time I can.

"Spoken" _Thought/Flashback/Dream_ **Writing **

Chapter 17: Forgetting

Tsunade's POV  
>"And on top of it, she told us to retreat." Naruto had barely let anyone else speak the moment he walked into my office. "What kind of person abandons their friends? I thought she was trustworthy."<p>

"She is," I said as I rubbed my temples lightly. "If she told you retreat, then she did it for good reason. She's not the type to pull back without a fight."

"But then-"

"What I think Naruto is trying to say is that her methods were a little confusing," Shikamaru interrupted. "I know learning to follow the lead of your teammates is a required skill, but I couldn't read anything she was projecting at us. She even went so far as to run off towards the enemy. By herself no less."

"And none of you have done that same? None of you have acted unwisely in battle." Some of the chunin looked down or to the side at my comment. "I've taken everything you told me into consideration and I'll deal with her accordingly, but understand that Soi had good reasons for acting the way she did. Whatever they may be."

"I got good news," my curly haired ex-student loudly announced as she waltzed into the room with a smile on her face.

"Speak of the devil." She flopped a pile of papers on my desk and gave me an all too happy smile. "What are these," I asked as I flipped through the pages.

"My father's research notes." My eyes shot to her before returning to the papers before me.

"They're not all here."

"I know. Kouki and Ichirou have a part of it and I think Kouki is about to get another part." She quickly gave us the run down of what happened when she was with Ichirou and all the information he diverged. No surprise there. He was always lousy at keeping secrets from her.

"I guess that means that I don't have to tell you that we had a break in only a few hours after you left the village. We noted that a packet was taken, but couldn't identify what was inside. Now we have a clue. Two Iwa shinobi were captured as they tried to escape, but neither of them had the packet. I'm guessing Kouki had it."

"I'd recommend that you watch them closely. I have a feeling that they might be under Letsu's influence."

"Or they could be working with her freely."

"That's possible, but they should still be watched."

"I'll send a message to Iwagakure and inform them of what's going on."

"I have a feeling that the people that will be breaking into Iwa are our friends. Tell them not to harm them."

"I will. You're all dismissed." As everyone turned to leave my office I stopped Soi before she could go to far. "Except for you, Reaper." Her body tensed at the sound of that name, making Kakashi and Kurenai chuckle.

"Wait a sec." Tenten stopped just short of the doorway, a few of the others doing the same. "Reaper? As in, Grim Reaper? Or Silence?"

Soi turned to glare at me as I gave her a satisfied smile. "Thanks, sensei."

"I can't believe I didn't but two-and-two together before! You're the Konoha Reaper. The Silence Queen." Tenten looked at Soi as if she were just given a new weapon to practice. "I knew you were amazing from the sparing match, but knowing that you're the Reaper…that's so cool!"

"Why is she a Reaper," Naruto ask as he looked at between Tenten and Soi.

"Talk about it as you leave my office." I watched everyone file out of my office before looking back at Soi. "Enjoy that?"

"I think you and Anko planned that. She did the same thing the moment I walked into the village."

"Just think how much we wont have to deal with when people realize you're back."

"I've been back for a while."

"Rumor has it that a shinobi came out of retirement. But just imagine how much less crap we wont have to deal with when people realize that the Reaper is back from the dead."

She rolled her eyes at me plopped herself on the edge of my desk. "Haha. What a clever play on words."

"Maybe if you weren't so good at assassinations, you wouldn't have this problem." She gave me annoyed smile before asking me what I wanted, very rudely mind you. "Some of your teammates said they had a problem with the way you acted the other day."

Her eyes landed on my desk as her face softened into a slight frown. "I figured as much. I did act a little out of it. I knew that Kakashi would trust me enough to let me got, but the other's don't know me well enough yet."

"They think you were out of line."

"I probably could've been nicer about telling them to let Letsu go."

"Personally, I think you made the right call. You got your team to stand down without giving away any delicate information. Job well done."

"I still need to apologies to them for snapping. Especially Shikamaru."

"You do what you feel is right, but just remember that you did everything I asked. You retrieved you cousins and got your team back in one piece."

"Mostly."

Soi's POV  
>Once I left Tsunade's office I made my way to Shikamaru's house. I thought about what I was going to say as I made my way from rooftop to rooftop. I went so far as to prepare a little speech, but it all fell flat the second I knocked on his front door. Yoshino opened the door and looked at me like I was some kind of alien. "You've been back in the village for a while now and this is the first time you've come to see me?" Her face was twisted into some form of annoyance, just like I remember it used to be.<p>

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that."

"Sorry doesn't make up for the fact that you didn't come visit Shikaku and I."

"I know and I promise that I'll make it up to you, but I was hoping to talk to Shikamaru. Is he home?"

"He just went to get a bath." She stepped to the side and motioned for me to come in. I bowed my head politely and stepped through the doorway. The angry brunet closed the door behind me before leading me to the living room. "So, how are things," she asked before sitting down on the long couch. I followed her lead and sat at the opposite end.

"A massive cyclone of confusion," I stated matter-of-factly. "How about you?"

"Bored out of my mind. I have so much to do around the house, but at the end of they day I still have a lot more energy to burn."

"Maybe you should ask Tsunade-sensei to put you back on active duty."

She gave me an amused smile as she quoted, "Tsunade-sensei?"

I thought about why that might have been funny before giving her an apologetic smile. "I really need to learn to start calling her Hokage."

"I want to be there the moment you do. She'll probably have a heart attack if you call her that."

"Why would she? It is her proper title."

"But you have always been special to her. Like a daughter even." I could feel a faint blush wash over my cheeks when she said that. "No reason to be embarrassed about it. We all knew she favors you out of everyone else in the village."

"That might be true, but I should really-"

"What is she doing here?" I turned my head to the doorway and saw Shikamaru standing there is gray sweat pants and a black short-sleeved shirt. His voice was harsh and annoyed, just like the day he scolded me in the park.

"Shikamaru, that's no way to talk to a guest," Yoshino scolded.

"It's alright. I deserve it," I said as I stood up from the couch. "Can we talk?"

His dark eyes stared me down before he made his way further into the room. "Be nice," Yoshino warned him as she exited the room.

"You can actually be as angry as you." He stopped a few feet in front of me, his arms crossed over his chest as he continued to glare at me. "I just wanted to apologies for how I acted. I shouldn't have run off without saying something or at least telling you ahead of time how I act in battle. I also shouldn't have snapped at you for arguing with me, but…at the time I couldn't tell you why I needed all of you to let her walk away."

"I can understand why you snapped. I can understand why you let her walk. What I can't understand was why you'd be stupid enough to run off on your own. You're a jounin. You're supposed to not make stupid mistakes like that."

"I can see why that would upset you. Especially since you still don't know me as well as I would like. I figured that since Kakashi already knew not to question my methods that you and Naruto would just follow along. I think what would be good for us is if I told you everything that happened before I left Konoha."

His hands fell to his sides as he contemplated my offer. "All right."

I reached forward and gave him a big hug. "Thank you, but lets not do it today. Sometime this week, maybe. We both need a few days to unwind." He nodded in the affirmative as I pulled back from him. "Great." I lightly pulled at the end of his wet hair as I hurried to the front door.

As I made my way down the street the one thing that stuck in my mind, besides the constant worry over my friend's safety, was the thought of a hot bath and a good, long sleep. "Uh, I just want to have a nice soak." Before too long I made my way to the street my apartment was on. In order to get to my place I had to pass Kakashi's apartment. "What better time to return his key."

I jumped from the street and landed in front of his door. My knuckles made a light banging sounds as they rasped against the door. When several moments passed without the door flinging open, I knocked a second time. Again, there was no answer. I dug Kakashi's key out of my pocket and entered his place.

The first thing I noticed was that the place was completely spotless. "Obaa-san must have done this." The floors were swept, the counters were spotless, and the windows twinkled in toe sunlight.

"Do you have a habit of entering peoples homes without permission," Kakashi's husky voice asked from a distance. I peered down the small hallway and saw him standing there without a care in the world. It surprised me that he wasn't wearing his mask, but the dripping wet hair and the massive amount of steam rolling out of the bathroom was a good hint as to why. A towel was draped around his shoulders and black sweat pants practically clung to his legs.

"Do you have a habit of confronting intruders without your mask?"

"Do you have a habit of answering a question with another question?" I scoffed at his ridiculousness as I made my way to him. His exposed arms encircled my waist and pulled me to him. My head instinctively tilted up as his bent down to kiss me. I smiled up at him after we pulled back from each other. It didn't pass my notice that his nose crunched up in disgust. "I don't like smokers."

"What a way to kill the mood." Of course he'd bring up the fact that I have yet to take a shower. I took his key and shoved it into his hand. "There. I'm going home." I wasn't really angry with him and the dork knew it, but I really did want to go home. I wanted a bath desperately.

I tried to move away from him, but he continued to hold me in place. "Where are you going?"

"To make myself smell better and take a nap. I will ask you to kindly let me go before I momentarily stop your heart," I joked.

"You do that without having to use you're ability."

"You are such a sap," I said with a giggle. Typically I really hate mushy comments like that, but he always made them sound adorable. Thankfully he didn't do it all the time. "But really, let me go take a bath. I really need one."

"Yes you do, but that's why you're going to take a shower here."

"But I have no cloths."

"That never stopped you before." The pervert had a point.

"Ok." I twisted out of his arms and slipped into the bathroom. I kicked the door shut behind me as I started to undress. Getting my hair out of my pony-tail seemed to take more effort than it should, but that's what I get for not combing it for three days. My hair was filled with knots and I wasn't looking forward to getting them out, but all my cares seemed to vanish the second the warm water hit my skin. "I now know what Heaven feels like."

I could visibly see some of the ash and dirt run off of me even before I started with the soap. My curly hair that usually reached to the middle of my back straightened out almost entirely and reached a little past my hips. As I started lathering myself with soap my thoughts drifted to my friends. Would Ichirou really make sure that nothing happened to them? Would Tsunade's letter get there in time before something terrible happened?

Once the body washing part was over I started on my hair. I've never been once to obsess over my looks, but the only thing I ever really cared about was my hair. Because my curls as so tight, I have to brush my hair every morning or every night to prevent it from getting knots. If I forget and I happen to get knots, I wont be able to sleep properly until I get them out. Those horrid things will force me to rest my head in uncomfortable positions until I get them out.

Even after I was done with my hair I stayed under the relaxing hot water for a little longer. If I weren't afraid of the water getting cold, I'd lay on the shower floor and sleep under the waters warmth. All too soon the temperature went south. I turned off the faucet and squeezed all of the excess water out of my hair.

"Why is there steam rolling out from under the door," Kakashi yelled from the hall.

"Because…" Yeah, what a snappy comeback. I didn't realize how much steam was in the room until I pushed back the shower curtain. The room was filled with a thick white fog, making it difficult for me to find the towel rack. As I wrapped a dark blue towel around myself.

A large puff of steam rippled out of the bathroom the second I opened the door. "Oops," I said to myself as I walked into Kakashi's bedroom. The lazy dog lover was laying on his bed, still no mask or shirt, reading one of those ridiculous Icha Icha books. I stopped next to him and read a page of his shoulder. I'll never admit this out loud, but I'm addicted to Jiraiya's stupid books. "Everything in your bathroom might be damp for a while."

"Is there a reason my bathroom gets damp every time you decided to take a shower at my place?" Of course he didn't even look at me as he spoke.

"Hey, I wanted to go home to take a shower. It's you're fault."

I threw my towel at his face as I walked to his dresser. Kakashi had seen me naked many times before, now should be no different. My long hair tickled my lower back as I pulled on a pair of Kakashi's black boxers and a long sleeved dark blue shirt. "Considering that you're the only woman I know who is actually forced to wear little clothing, I'm surprised you picked a long sleeve shirt."

"My arms get cold when I sleep. You know that." I walked over to the bed and climbed up next to him. The second my head hit the pillow my world went black. I let out a pent up breath as I relaxed into the bed.

"Who said you're allowed to go to be sleep?"

"Me."

"It's noon."

"I don't care if it's time for shots with Anko. I'm exhausted."

"So am I." The bed shifted lightly, but I still didn't open my eyes. A second later I was in Heaven. The feel lips melting into mine made my heart soar into the sky. One of his hands traveled to my waist while the other one dug in my damp hair, locking me in place.

Kakashi's POV  
>I would be a liar to say I hadn't thought about doing the moment she walked into my apartment, but after seeing how exhausted she was I was planning on letting her sleep. However, I can't be held accountable for my body's reaction when she dropped the towel, which I know she did deliberately. And putting on my cloths had always been a turn on.<p>

I could hear the sharp intake of breath she took out of surprise. "That's not nice," she breathed as my lips moved kiss along her jaw line. Of course he'd purposely keep me awake when I want to go to sleep.

"Neither is being minx, but that never stopped you."

"Point taken." One of her hand stretch towards my head, her delicate fingers lightly tugging at my hair as her other roamed over my back. The sound of her uneven breaths grew louder as my one hand slowly pushed her shirt up. Her skin was as soft and perfect as I remember it being. It always astounded me how well she took care of herself, but looking at her family I can understand why.

"Ow." I pulled away from her immediately at the sound of her pain-ridden voice. My eyes racked over her see what was wrong. She was holding her right wrist to her chest as if something bit her.

"What's wrong?" Those beautiful brown eyes of her looked back over at me, her arms stretching out and wrapped around my neck. She tried to pull me closer, but I wouldn't budge. "Soi, what's wrong with your wrist?"

"There's nothing wrong with it. It just hurt for a second."

"Body parts don't begin to hurt for no reason."

"It felt like someone zapped or something, but it was only for a second. It doesn't even hurt anymore." I looked at her skeptically, trying to decide if I should let it go or have her see a doctor. "It's no big deal. Come back to me," she pleaded as she continued to pull on my neck. "Come back and help me forget everything that's happened lately."

The hand that I used to keep her head in place now cupped her cheek. My thumb traced lazy circles on her perfect mocha skin as she continued to gaze up at me. I have missed this mesmerizing woman for so long that it hurt to think of a time when I didn't have her. And even when she came back, she forgave me for my horrible crime against her. There is no doubt in my mind that I am the luckiest man in the world.

"When you ask like that, how can I say no?"

/\/\

AN: Uh, I wish I could draw. I'd love to have a few pictures of Soi with her team or random moments from the story. I should make a deviantART account, post this story, and see if anyone will make pictures for me.


	19. A Moment Of Peace

AN: Hello one and all! I will be super busy tomorrow so I'm going to update today just incase I was to forget to do it tomorrow. For all of those of you who are in school, I hope finals are going well and if you already had them, lucky you! For those of you who aren't in school, lucky you! Anyway, I hope all of you have a happy holiday and a wonderful rest of the year. I'll probably be saying that until the end of December. :)

"Spoken" _Thought/Flashback/Dream_ **Writing **

Chapter 18: A Moment Of Peace

Kakashi's POV  
>The years I spent trying to remember exactly how this amazing woman looked as she slept didn't do her a bit of justice. My free hand rubbed lazy circles on her back as she lay on top of me. The other hand was propped up against my head so I could get a better look at her. Out of all the sounds this world has to offer, the sound of even breathing was one of my list of top fives, along with some of the other sounds she makes.<p>

Speaking of her adorable sounds, an amusing mewing sound passed her lips as she propped her head at a different angle. "Stop it."

This was definitely the best part, she sleep-talks. The great part is, is that she'll answer you if you talk to her. "Stop what?"

Her cute face scrunched up as she maneuvered her head again. "Kai wont stop."

"What is she doing?"

"Licking my ear." Her head shot up in confuse as I laughed at her. She looked around for a second before laying her head back on my chest. "Why did you wake me up," she mumbled.

"So Kai would stop licking your ear." She glanced up at me curiously, making me laugh again. "You were talking in your sleep."

"Fantastic. What time is it?"

"A little past five. You've only been asleep for a few hours."

With a grunt she rolled off of me and sat on the edge of the bed. Her elegant fingers racked through her long curls as she sighed. "I should go check on the kids."

I sat up and moved to the edge of the bed. My arms pulled her back to my chest to keep her in place. "Or you could stay here with me."

"As much as I'd love to, I want to see how the kids are doing." She tried to free herself from my grasp, but I only tightened my hold on her.

"You saw them a few hours ago. They're fine. And if anything would have happened to them I'm sure your mother or someone from your clingy family would've come knocking by now."

"We're not clingy!"

"Should I make a list of how clingy your family is?"

"We're just…very close."

"Clingy."

"Whatever. Let me go." She struggled again to get up, but she failed a second time. "You do understand that I will hurt you, right?" I'm sure that threat would've worked on anyone else, but I could hear the faint sound of amusement in her voice.

With one arm still around her, my right hand lightly held her wrist. She didn't resist as I brought it up to examine it. "How's your wrist?"

Her head fell back on my shoulder as she peered up at me through those long lashes. "It's fine. It was just a momentary thing. Stop worrying. That's my job." The feel of her lips on my neck sent a shiver down my spine like it always does. "Will you let me go now?"

"Only if I can come with you. I haven't had your great-aunts cooking in a while."

She smiled at me before trying and failing to free herself again. "Sure, but only as long as you drop the 'great' part. It makes her feel old."

"She is."

"Tell her that and she'll burn your food." I finally released her, but she didn't leave my side. "Have any shorts?"

"Have you ever known me to wear shorts?"

"But it's too hot for long pants." She gave me a fake pout before I got up and went to the dresser. "Nice ass." I smirked while I looked for something for her to wear. I finally pulled out a matching pair of dark blue pants like mine along with a white short sleeve shirt and tossed them at her before taking out cloths for myself. By the time I had turned around she was already dressed. Speedy little thing. "You take too long."

Soi's POV  
>I didn't realize how much I missed my aunts cooking until I ate it. It was perfect, like always. One of the many things Yamato made for us was a massive dinningroom with two large tables to accompany everyone with room to spare. I really need to find him and thank him for everything.<p>

As Kakashi and I walked through the door, three little figures ran up to hug me. Takeo and Chiyo were pulling on my arms telling me that I had to see their new drawings, while Dosa, my favorite little blond demon child, begged me to pick her up. Even though she was the oldest of my younger cousins, she was by far the easiest to hold. She had always been very thin and light for her age, so I could still pick her up even though she's eight years old. Everyone tells me that I should hold her like that anymore, but when she flashes those beautiful eyes at me, I can't resist.

Kakashi and I followed the kids into the living room where all the other younger children were drawing. As I praised every one of the pictures I asked Takeo and Minako how they were doing. Both said they were fine and left it at that. Their parents said that they acted like nothing ever happened, which is good I guess. If they could walk away from a kidnapping and act like it never happened, good for them. I'd be mortified if their little adventure left them scarred.

All too soon, sort of, it was time for dinner. Manabu was sitting on one side of me, Sango on the other. Both of them persisted that they had to sit by me, forcing Kakashi to sit across from me. "Do you want some more noodles," I offered the cute little girl at my side. Somehow she had managed to get noodles in her hair and on my arm. She nodded her head vigorously as I slowly poured the noodles into a bowl. "How about you eat slower for me? That way you don't get so messy," but my pleading went unheard. Sure enough I was picking more food off of her.

"Did you miss this while you were alone," Aunt Shig asked as she took a bite of her food.

"Picking food off of children or Umeko's cooking?"

"I think she meant if you missed us," mom corrected me.

"She missed me the most," Manabu said before taking a huge mouthful of food. It's funny, Manabu is nineteen, but he still acts like he's ten sometimes. Sango, with a mouth full of food, protested and said that I missed her the most. It always amused me how easily Sango could get worked up over things like this. If I've told her once, I've told her a thousand times. She's my little princess and I love hear dearly…along with the other younger girls who I happen to call princess too. Perhaps I should come up with specific nicknames for each of them.

"I missed everyone equally, so lets call it quits." Kakashi smirked at me under his mask as he looked between the children and I.

"Kakashi, I didn't see you touch your food," my mother said.

"I'm a quick eater." I was trying so hard not to crack a joke, but I didn't. There were too many small children around. "You should ask your daughter what she did the first night she arrived. It was amusing." I instantly shot him a warning glare.

"What did you do, baby?" My mother seemed way too amused for her own good.

"Let me guess. She burnt down her first apartment and the one she's living in now is the backup."

"Shut up, Jun. You too, Kakashi." I eyed them both, mainly Kakashi. Of course he'd start this.

"Oh, come one. We're all adults here." My mother's voice was chipper until she seemed to realize something. "You didn't take your cloths off, did you?"

"What! Mom, no."

"Good, because you hardly wear any as it is."

"For work!"

"Other types of girls wear little clothes too," Chiasa added with a chuckle.

"You guys are mean to me." I tried to sound hurt, but I failed miserably. I missed our snooty and sarcastic conversations. "And you," my eyes shot to my silver haired lover, "you need to stop being an instigator." The jerk just smirked at me, pushing even further.

"She's not answering. She burnt down a building. Point for me."

"I went drinking with Anko! There, happy now?"

Mom, Obaa-san, Chiasa, and a few of the other adults eyed me. "That's my girl," Chiasa said with a big happy grin. "How come you wont come drink with me?"

"Because I'm more afraid of Anko doing something to me in the middle of the night than you."

"The best part is that she came flying into my arms," Kakashi added. Of course he'd add fuel to the fire to embarrass me.

"I didn't fly into your arms. I passed out." Chiasa and Jun started laughing hysterically while my mother and grandmother both staredme down. "It's not like that."

"She was so far gone that she couldn't remember how to get home."

"Shut up, Kakashi!"

"At least someone was looking out for you," Obaa-san said before picking up her plate and heading to the kitchen. I quickly did the same after kicking Kakashi under the table, but he brushed it off. I tried my hardest to glare at him, but I couldn't hide my smile very well.

After explaining what happened that night and a long list of goodbyes, Kakashi and I finally left. The sun had gone down over the horizon long ago, leaving only the streetlights and stars to guide our way home. "I forgot how amusing your family is."

"You're an asshole," I teased as I elbowed his side.

"That's not nice to say to someone you care about."

"I'm starting to rethink our relationship."

A strong hand gripped my shoulder and roughly forcefully turned me around. Although his face was blank, his one eye spoke volumes. "That's not funny to joke about."

His voice was so hard and serious that it took me back for a moment. It struck me so hard that it made me regret joking about it. "I was just being sarcastic. I didn't mean it."

"It's still not something to joke about."

The more that I looked at him the more I realized how much my words hurt him and that's the last thing I'd ever want to do. "You're right. I'm sorry." My hands instinctively cupped his face lightly. "I'd never mean that."

"I told you they were together!" Both of our heads shot to the side to see who the hell could've been so obnoxious. Neither of us were really surprised to see Naruto standing there, but Sakura and Ino were a different story. "I told you!"

"You two are a couple," my blond student asked as my hands fell to my sides. "That's so cute, but haven't you only lived her about two months? That's kinda quick."

"We were together before I left," I said flatly.

"That's so cute!" Both Ino and Sakura had on some weird happy-lovey faces. It was kinda creeping me out. "I can't wait to tell the others."

"I told you that they were together."

"Shut up, Naruto," she girls yelled in unison.

As the children started bickering, Kakashi and I made our escape. "See what happens when we display our affection for each other in public?" my eyes rolled on their own accord at him. I stuck my foot out in front of him as we continued down the streets. He fell forward slightly, but I knew he would right himself quickly, so I had to act fast. My hands grabbed onto his shoulders, spun in a light circle, and shoved him into the wall of a building we were passing.

I always loved the look of shock on his face. That look was so rare that it always made me happy to see it. I'm sure that the people around us were staring, but I kept my eyes on him. My fingers locked into his messy hair as I pulled his head down to me. If it weren't for that thin layer of cloth between us our lips would've met. Either way, it was enough for people to start oohing, awing, and making mushy love sounds.

After giving my lover a mischievous grin as I pulled away and started down the street again. It took him a moment to catch up to me, out of shock perhaps, but when he did he put an arm around my waist. "You're bad."

"I'm just amazing and spontaneous." In no time we were passing down the street our apartments were one. From the direction we were coming from we had to pass my place before going to his. I started towards my place, Kakashi close behind. "How did you get into your house without a key?"

"I'm a shinobi. I have my ways." When I opened the front door I was slightly shocked to see how clean it was. Slightly being the prominent word. Of course my grandmother or someone in my family would clean my place before leaving. "You're family is full of clean freaks."

We took off our shoes in put them in the closet before moving farther into the house. "And you're full of yourself, but you don't see me complaining." After looking over my overly clean apartment I B-lined it for my bedroom. My drawer full of shorts was calling for me.

"My pants weren't good enough for you," Kakashi asked as he entered the room just as I finished pulling up my favorite pair of sleeping shorts.

"They're pants. Too long for my taste."

"You just enjoy walking around with little clothing. I think you enjoy having all the man stare at you."

I rolled my eyes at him as I tossed his pants at his head. "There's only person I want to look at me and that person happens to already be wrapped around my finger." He gave me an amused look as he sat on the edge of the bed.

"And you don't think that poor person should be set free from your enticing spell?"

The bed sank lower at the added weight of my body. My arms wrapped around his neck as I made myself more comfortable on his lap. "I believe that person tried it once and it didn't work out for both of us." I kissed his nose before smiling at him. "But that doesn't matter. What does matter is that we're together again." As I came close to kissing those perfect masked lips of his I instantly pulled away. This massively painful feeling shot through my head, instantly giving me a migraine.

"Are you alright?" What little facial features I could see showed he was truly considered. Uh, he's such a cute little worrywart.

"I'm fine, just a head ache. It's been building up since we left mom's," I lied. Thankfully he let it go, surprising considering he usually catches all my lies. "By the way, there's something I want to ask you."

"Ask away."

"Will you marry me?" The look on his face was priceless! I had to restrain every fiber of my being not to laugh at him. It was just…perfect.

"Um…what?"

Hesitation! Now I couldn't hold it in anymore.

Kakashi's POV  
>This ridiculous woman was in a hysterical fit in my arms. What was so funny? "Are you joking?" She had to be. The way she said it was so calm and matter-of-fact. As if it were a spur of the moment question.<p>

"Nope."

"Why would you ask me that?"

"Because I love you…and I know you were going to ask me the same thing before I left."

That completely threw me. True, I was planning to ask her back then, but I was young, stupid, and thought that everything between us was going to be fine. And the only people who knew were Genma and….,"I'm going to kill Guy."

She chuckled that amusing chuckle when she got caught for something silly. "What makes you think he told me?"

"Because Genam wouldn't."

"In his defense, I overheard them talking, so technically he didn't tell me anything."

"He shouldn't have been talking about it in the first place."

She laughed again before become serious, or as serious as she could at this moment. "All joking aside, will you marry me?"

"Shouldn't I be asking you that question?"

"Yeah, but you're taking too long."

"You've only been back a little over two months. Most of which you were ignoring me."

"But I'm not ignoring you now. Look, you were going to ask me then, but I'm asking you now. I still love you as much, if not more, than I did before I left. And even though we were young, I would have said yes." I pulled my head back to study her for a moment. It's rare that anyone surprises me, but she always has. This moment being no different. She seemed completely serious and I felt slightly bad for not giving her an answer. "You know that I can be silly and spontaneous with little decisions, but I always think the big ones through. I've thought about this since the day I left, but now we're getting a second chance. Why waste it?"

She was right. There were so many things about her that I loved. Here eyes, that adorably cute hair, her stubborn personality. The fact that she could lead without any hesitation, but can switch to a follower in a heartbeat if need. But above all, I love her ability to care. She cared for everyone and doesn't know how to turn her back on people, even strangers. She is nothing but unconditional love and I'd be a fool not to marry her.

"I think marrying you might be fun." Her perfect face contorted into an amused smile.

"'Might be fun'? With that attitude I might make you're life Hell."

"As long as you go through Hell with me, go for it."

"You took that from one of Jiraiya's books. The one about the star crossed lovers where the guy is already married."

"You read his books?"

"You're not the only one in this village who's a perv." Her delicate fingers pulled my mask down before digging into my hair. She pulled me to her so quick that I thought we'd bump heads. Our kiss, like all the other kisses we shared, set my soul on fire. I don't know how she does it, but every time we kiss I feel like it's the first time I kissed her. Granted, she forced me to kiss her the first time, but that's not the point. It's ten times more electrifying than my Chidori.

Oh so swiftly I picked her up by her hips and through her farther onto the bed. After brush a few of strands out of her eyes, she looked up at me with a mixture of amusement and confusion. "What was that for?"

"So you can get comfortable for our before-wedding-play-time."

"Oooh, sounds like fun."


	20. Retrieval

AN: Alright boys and girls, here's the deal. On the 18th, just a few days away, I'll be gone. I'll be in Mexico, soaking up the warm sun for three weeks. Here's the catch, I do NO writing on vacations. So, here are three chapters to keep you occupied for the next three weeks. I know they seem rushed, which they are, but I wanted to get them to you as soon as possible. I'll correct them when I get back.

Happy holidays! 3

"Spoken" _Thought/Flashback/Dream_ **Writing **

Chapter 19: Retrieval

Soi's POV

It didn't take Iwagakure long to get back to Tsunade-sensei, just a few days actually. Like I expected, our friends, along with Kouki, broke into Iwa and stole a packet of information

"The Tsuchikage wrote back to me and said that Iwa was indeed broken into." The room was filled with the familiar faces of students and teachers I have come to rely on, none of which looked surprised.

"What did he say about our friends," the hyperactive blond to my right blurted out.

Tsunade-sensi gave the boy an annoyed look before delicately folding her hands on her desk. "I was getting to that. Kiba and Sai were injured while trying to escape, but they managed to subdue Guy." Her light eyes landed on me and gave me a funny smirk. "You have some powerful family in Iwa, Soi, if they can take Guy down with one touch."

A few confused eyes landed on me, but I didn't pay them any attention. "I'm not sure if I should honored or upset at your comment. Are you saying I can't take Guy down in one move?"

"I'm merely stating that your gift is really helpful if you're fast enough. Anyway, I'm assigning you to go pick Guy and the others. Instead have having all of the normal chunin running around, Yamato will be going with you."

"Yes!" Ok, perhaps I shouldn't have screamed so enthusiastically, but I was excited to see him. I still had to thank him for the house.

"So, it will be Soi, Kakashi, Yamato, Kurenai, and Sakura."

The green jump suit wearing hyperactive ball of energy look a little put out about Tsunade-sensei's decision. "Why only those five?"

"Do you want to go?"

"YES!"

"Fine, but that's it. This is a simple retrieval mission. There is no reason all of you should go."

Shikamaru shifted beside me, looking slightly put out. "What about Kouki? Shouldn't we go after him?"

"I'd prefer that all of you go together. When you're up for it."

"But-"

"This isn't the type of situation to walk into without thinking. This has to be done right. When Guy and the others are taken care of, then we'll make arrangements to go after him. We still don't know who their fouth member is."

As annoyed as he looked, he didn't say another word, but Tsunade had a point. My family said Ichirou, Letsu, and another man broke into the house that night. Our mystery man could be another one of Letsu's puppets or he could be working with them.

A soft knock at the door made all of us turn to face it. A familiar brunette with wide eyes popped his head in the door. "You wanted to see me, Hokage-sama?"

I'll be the first to admit that I can act like a child sometimes and this was one of my moments. I ran to the door and, more or less, jumped on my favorite wood jutsu user. My lips found his cheek a thousand times as I gave happy kisses. "Yay! I'm so happy to see you, Yamato. It's been too long." I heard Kurenai and Tsunade chuckle from the other side of the room. I pulled away just enough to look at his face, but my arms wrapped around his torso to keep him in place. "Thank you so very much for what you did for my family."

Yamato gave me a swift hug before releasing me. "It was no trouble at all." We walked closer to the Hokage's desk, me still clinging to him while all the chunin looked at me in confusion or shock.

"I thought you were with Kakashi," Ino said from my side.

"She gets like this," Kakashi, Yamato, Kurenai, and Tsunade all said in unison.

"You wanted to see me, Hokage-sama."

"You're going on a retrieval mission with Soi and a few others. I'm sure they'll fill you in on the details."

"Yes ma'am."

"While you're there I think you should pay a visit to you family, Soi."

I pulled away from Yamato just enough to look at her. "Why?" Honestly, why would she want me to see them? This was a mission, not a social call.

"See if anyone can give you any insight as to what your father was working on."

"Uh, ok, but I'm not sure how much they can tell me. Dad wasn't very close to them."

"Try it anyway. You're all dismissed." Everyone started filing out while the chunin gossiped about my reaction to Yamato and how Kakashi and I were together. Gossipy little things.

As everyone started going their separate ways outside of the Hokage's Tower, Shikamaru pulled me aside. "When you get back I want to know everything about you. Your history, fighting style, everything. It seems like some new information about you pops up every five minutes and I can't get a handle on it."

I smiled at my favorite student, not that I'd tell the others that he's my favorite, but…"Of course, captain."

"Can't you be serious?"

"Not unless I have to be." I gave him one more smile before starting toward the Great Gate with Kakashi and others.

"So, you have family in Iwa, Soi-sensei." Sakura looked a little skeptical to ask, which was silly. There was no reason to be shy to ask me anything.

"Yeah, but we're not very close."

"Are you from Iwa?"

"No. Born and raised in Konoha, but my father is from Iwa."

"Is your father's clan big?"

"Not really. We…they tend to die early."

Her face looked shocked and sick. "Why!"

"No idea. Sickness, I guess." Actually, that was a good question. Why do we die so young? Some of us life full lives and die in our old age, but other's die way too young. Like Uncle Osamu. His death came way too early.

Thankfully, Yamato changed the conversation to something equally as annoying. "So, what have I missed?" I smirked at him before the six of us took to the trees. It took us a few days to get to Iwa, but it was plenty of time to fill Yamato in on what's been going on and for Sakura and Lee to do a question and answer round with me.

When we finally reached Iwagakure a sense of nausea washed over me. I had only a handful of happy memories here. The last time I was here was for dad's funeral and that didn't go very well.

_Flashback  
>Fog flooded the streets of Iwa that early morning, like it always did. Until the sun reached the highest point in the sky, gray smoke all floated around. Tons of people dressed in black gathered for the funeral of one of Iwagakure's finest medical shinobi. But anyone who trains under the great Tsunade is bound to become some type of legend. <em>

_Sitting in the front row, next her grandmother was a teenage Soi. Her short curly hair was tied back in a bun, as her eyes were fixated on the gravestone before her. Not a word reached her ears as the Tsuchikage gave a speech about the fallen warrior. To her, Adatta wasn't a shinobi or a medic, he was her father. The man who taught her how to throw a kunai. How to follow the stars at night._

_At then end of the funeral many people said their apologies to the Mouki family, but none of it really helped. It was nice to know that there were many people who cared for the fallen man, but Soi was never the type to want to talk about the "good old days" at a funeral._

_There was gossip spreading around about Soi's lack of tears during the funeral. She was never one to hold in her emotions, any of them, but her shinobi instinct always kicked in at moments like this. Shinobi were not to show emotion or cry. All of the other Iwa shinobi knew that as well and did not cry, but it seemed that everyone expected, or wanted her to cry._

_At the end of the day Soi and her family were sitting at the dinning table at her grandparents house. Her aunts and grandmother were still crying, but Soi and her grandfather had not a tear to shed. "That's two," Tadashi, Soi's grandfather said in a grump voice. His eyes were cold and distant as he staired out the window. "How long before the other two go._

"_Tadashi," Naomi, Soi's grandmother, said, "not now."_

"_Why not? He was a fool for thinking he could change our fates."_

"_Dad," Soi's Aunt Ai begged, "just stop."_

"_Why? He worked in that lab day and night for her." Tadashi pointed a powerful finger at his granddaughter. It was no secret that Tadashi never liked her, but no one ever explained to the powerful kunoichi why that was. _

"_He would have died anyway," Naomi said in a pain stricken voice._

_Soi looked between her family members with the utmost confusion. "What are you talking about?"_

"_Don't play dumb. Everything he was working on was for you. He couldn't give a damn about the rest of us."_

"_What the hell is your problem with me," Soi yelled as she stood from the table. "I've never done anything thing to you, so what's your deal?"_

_Tadashi stood from the table as well, but Naomi quickly stepped between them. "Stop it! This is not the time for this." It was rare for Naomi to raise her voice, especially to her husband. "Just stop." Tadashi gave the young girl before him a hard glare before he made his way to his bedroom. "I'm sorry, Soi."_

"_Don't worry about it," she said with a huff before sitting back at the table._

_A sharp knock at the door made Naomi jump in surprise. She hurried to the door and allowed the stranger into the house. As the two walked back into the room, Soi's eyes were fixed on the man standing before her. He had dark red hair, bright orange eyes, almost the same skin complexion as hers, and seemed to be a few years older than her._

_All three of Soi's aunts stood from the table and embraced the man. He hugged each of them back lovingly before setting his eyes on me. "You must be Soi." Soi stood from the table and looked at him, trying to remember if she had ever met him before. "I'm Dingin, you're father's cousin." The stranger stretched out his hand to young girl, which she shook lightly._

"_I'm sorry you had to come back at such a horrible time," Naomi said as she ushered for everyone to sit down._

"_I shouldn't have gone on a mission knowing that he was so sick."_

"_No one could have predicted when he would pass."_

"_But the signs were evident."_

"_I'm sorry to cut in," Soi said softly as she looked between Naomi and Dingin, "but how long was my dad sick? What exactly did he die of?"_

_The room was silent for a few moments. Soi knew that they were keeping something from her and was annoyed that no one had the decency to tell her. "Bad blood."_

"_What does that mean?"_

_At that moment Tadashi came back into the room with a picture in his hand. He threw it down in front of Soi and smacked the back of her head. In the picture was a happy family. Three little girls had big smiles, while two little boys were making silly faces. "Two of my boys are dead. One basically killed himself over you. Are you going to make the other three do the same?"_

_Soi instantly stood from her chair and spun around to look at the older man. "Don't touch me," she warned. Her voice was low and deadly, a sound she only made in a heated battle. Tadashi tried to grab her forearm, but she was too fast. She grabbed his arm and one hand while the other went to his throat. "Never touch me." She pushed him forcefully away from her, his back hitting the wall closest to them. Without another word she turned to the front door and left the house. She could hear Naomi calling for her, but ignored the woman's cries.  
>End Of Flashback<em>

"Are you alright," Kurenai asked from my side.

"Yeah. Just remembering." My voice was flatter than I thought it would be.

"Good or bad?"

"Horribly unpleasant." As we walked through the main gates of Iwa, two shinobi stopped us and asked us what we were doing. Once we told them everything we thought was relevant, they began escorting us through the streets.

"That one looks like a Mouki," on of the shinobi whispered to the other.

"Because I am," I said with a drull.

They both turned to look at me in surprise. "No way," the one said as he looked me up and down. "Are you Adatta's daughter." I nodded my head in the affirmative, but said nothing. "See, I told you the Reaper was back."

_Damn it, Tsunade!_

"We heard you were dead."

"I was, more or less."

"Either way, you must be excited for Ai."

My eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "Why would I be excited for her?"

The two shinobi stopped and faced me, looking at me like I was some kind of idiot for not knowing. "Because she's having a baby." I could feel my eyes widen in shock. Part of me felt guilty for not thinking of this side of my family in a while. Besides Tadashi, all of the held a place in my heart. "She said if it's a boy, she's going to name it Adatta."

"I think she's going to name it Adatta even if it's a girl," the other Iwa shinobi said.

"I-I didn't know. I'm happy for her."

Yamato nudged my shoulder lightly. I looked over my shoulder, giving him my full attention. "Why don't you go see your family like the Hokage said. We'll go to the hospital and you can meet us there later." I looked over at Kakashi and Kurenai, making sure it was all right with them. They nodded, Kakashi ushering me away with a wave of his hand.

"Ok. I'll see you guys later."

Slowly, and with a lot of pent up aggression, I made my way to my grandparent's house as the others headed to the hospital. Every step I took closer to the house made me itch for a fight with that old man. I silently prayed for him not to be home, but there was no way my luck was that good.

/\/\

AN: Dingin's name is pronounced Din (like dinner) and gin (like gin and tonic).


	21. Family And Friends

AN: Happy holidays people! 3

"Spoken" _Thought/Flashback/Dream_ **Writing **

Chapter 20: Family & Friends

Soi's POV

As I knocked on the door I had the overwhelming urge to kick it in, just to piss off Tadashi. But, sadly, I didn't want to upset Naomi. After a few moments of waiting the door swung open and a little boy stared up at me. He had thick curly hair like me and his eyes were a beautiful shade of gray. "Hi there. Is Naomi home?"

The little boy turned around and shouted into the house, "Grandma, there's a lady here for you." Well, that was one way of getting someone's attention. I tried stepping in the house, but the little boy held up his hand to me. "Don't move or I'll blow you up." Part of me found that extremely amusing, but the other part wanted to tie this kid upside down from the ceiling. If this little brat was going to talk to me that way, he was going to pay for it.

"Sasora, what did I tell you about yelling in the house," a familiar voice echoed through the hall. Naomi came into few and I couldn't help but to smile at her. "Soi! What in the world?" She ran over to me and gave me a big hug. "How is this possible? I thought you were dead."

"I know, I know." The next hour was spent sipping tea in the living room and explaining to her all about the fake death incident. It seems like I've told this story a thousand times.

"Oh sweetie, I'm sorry you had to go through all of that."

"It's alright, I guess, but lets not talk about that. I heard Ai is pregnant."

Naomi's face contorted between a mixture of happiness and pain. "She is. Almost five months." The hint of sadness in her voice didn't go unnoticed.

"That's a good thing, but why do you sound sad about it?"

"Because her genkai isn't going to let her spend any time with the poor baby."

Now I was utterly confused. What did our blood trait have to do with anything? "What are you talking about?"

Naomi looked up at me as if she just let a big secret slip. "I think…I think it's time you were told. Someone should have told you sooner, but the topic is…taboo unless necessary." She set her cup of tea on the small coffee table in front of us before holding my hands in her. "You are a very special girl, Soi. Truly amazing, but your gift comes with a price." She paused for a moment, trying to collect her thoughts and what to say next. "For a lot of the family, the kekkei genkai sometimes, how do I say this…reacts badly to its user. Sometimes the body attacks itself."

"What do you mean?"

"The body begins to hurt itself the same way your genkai is used on other. It starts off small. A little pain here and there, but eventually the pain grows. It's uncontrollable, but it doesn't happen to everyone. However, it can happen at any time. That's how Osamu and your father died."

I stared at her a moment before speaking. Is that what was happening to me or is it something else? "What does that have to do with Ai's pregnancy?"

"Ai's body started acting up a few months before she became pregnant. The only time the pain has ever been known to stop is when someone is pregnant. However, the body builds up that pain until the child is born and is released all at once. At that point there isn't much anyone can do except try and make their death comfortable."

"How long does it take for someone to die?"

"I don't know. It's different for everyone, but you don't need to worry about it." I looked down at our hands for a moment and squeezed. I inhaled sharply before looking at her again and trying to smile. "Nothing like that has happened to you, right?"

I tried so hard to give her a reassuring smile, but I couldn't. "It started a little while ago. They're few and far in between and don't hurt much."

Her eyes instantly filled with tears at my words. "Oh, baby. I'm so sorry."

"Don't worry about it. I'm not dead yet." Sometimes I astound myself how well I can take by news when it pertains to me. Others, however, is a different story. She tried whipping her tears away, but a new one appeared the second she got rid of the ones already falling down her face. "I need to ask you something. Dad was working on something before he died and I need to know what it was."

"It w-was a cure for t-the the genkai malfunction. He b-believed he could fix the p-problem."

"Grandma, don't cry. It's going to be ok. My friends and I are looking for all of his notes. If we can get them all the Hokage could probably finish his work. We already have one piece, we just need the others."

Her head shot up at me in confusion. "You have a p-peace?"

"Yeah. Manabu saved it before...he saved it for me."

She looked like she was hiding something else from me, but I let it go. I didn't want to make her more upset than she already was. "That's good. I hope you will be able to find a cure."

This time I actually gave her a smile before something hit me. "Where is Tadashi?"

Her face fell even more, if that was possible. "He passed a few years ago."

"I'm sorry." I truly was sorry. I was sorry that her husband died, but I got some sick satisfaction of knowing that asshole kicked the bucket.

"No, don't be," she said with a heavy sigh. "It was painless. He died in his sleep, but I do want to apologies. All the things he said to you were out of line."

"There no need to apologies for him." I was about to say something else when Sasora waltzed into the room licking a popsicle.

"Sasora, what did I tell you? No sugar before dinner." Naomi took the popsicle from him and handed it to me. I didn't know what to do with it so I did the only thing I could do. I stuck it in my mouth. Sasora gave me the evil eye before stomping out of the room.

"Who is that kid," I mumbled between nibbles of the frozen treat.

"Your Aunt Satsuki's boy. His twin is running around here somewhere."

"Is Satsuki…dead?"

"No. She hasn't fallen pray to the blood disease and lets pray she never does."

My eyes glance around the room, that hasn't change since the first time I came here. The clock on the wall read 2pm. "I should get going. I have to meet my friends at the hospital." She gave me a sad smile before walking me to the door. I gave her a hug and a kiss before opening the front door. "It was great to see you."

"You too. Take care and try not over work your body."

"I'll try." I heard the door close behind me as I started down the street and towards the hospital.

Sakura's POV  
>Kiba and Sai weren't in bad shape. The medical staff in Iwa was surprisingly good. Then again, the only people I could compare it to were Konoha's medics. Because of the mystical palm technique they used, the two were only left with a few bruises, but Guy really impressed me. The doctor said that he put up quite a fright against someone named Dingin. Apparently this guy is part of the Mouki clan. Guy is lucky that he wasn't killed.<p>

All of them said they didn't remember anything while they were attack Iwa. "The last thing I remember was fighting this blue haired lady in the woods," Kiba said as he checked over Akamaru.

"You're lucky I received the Hokage's letter when I did," the Tsuchikage said as he walked into the room, three guards close behind him. "If I hadn't told my shinobi not to kill any of you, you wouldn't have lived."

That seemed a little harsh. Sure Guy and the others were beaten, but I heard that they did a number on several of the Iwa shinobi. "Thank you, sir, for taking such good care of them."

He made a slight huffing sound at me before turning to face Kakashi and the other jounin. "The one that escaped took a packet of top secret information from-"

"Mouki Adatta's research notes," Kakashi-sensei cut in. "They took ours too."

The Tsuchikage didn't look pleased that we know what was taken, but didn't say anything about it. "I sent a search team after them. We should have the intruder and Adatta's notes back soon."

"I wouldn't count on that."

"No one has ever beaten a Mouki. This time should be no different."

This time it was Kurenai-sensei's turn to speak. "I hope you sent a large retrieval team then. Kouki and Ichirou are not your typical shinobi."

"Don't underestimate the shinobi of Iwagakure!"

"We're not, but we have first hand knowledge of them and they're not working alone. A blue haired women named Letsu is working with them."

All of the Iwa shinobi froze. "Do you have any proof of this?"

"We fought her," Kakashi-sensei spoke up. "We know she's from here and that she can control people. How powerful is her reach on people?"

"Her victims will stay under her spell for as long as she wants, but it will end if she dies. We found that out after her mother passed away." Oh, great. We could've taken her out back at Crystal Lake, but she knew that we wouldn't do anything without know that bit of vital information. "The two shinobi you spoke about. Would they be Yamanaka Ichirou and Tanzin Kouki? The ones that were making trouble all those years ago?"

"Yes."

The Tsuchikage seemed extremely annoyed, but I'm not sure for what reason. "Konohagakure has our full support on this. Whatever the Hokage needs, I'll see that she gets it."

"Thank you," Kurenai said before turning to help Guy stand from his hospital bed.

"Excuse me," Soi-sensei's voice rang as she maneuvered her way into the room.

The Tsuchikage eyed her before heading out the door. "You look like your grandmother," he said before vanishing.

"Um…ok."

"What did your grandmother have to say," Yamato-sensei asked.

"My father was working on a cure for my families blood disease."

Kakashi-sensei looked concerned and confused. "What disease?"

"Apparently our kekkei genkai works against our bodies, but it's not clear who. It just happens."

Kiba looked over at Soi-sensei and said, "but why would Kouki and Ichirou want the cure? They're not part of your family."

"I don't know."

Soi's POV  
>It felt good being back in Konoha. The second I left Iwa territory I felt a million times better. The first thing any of us did was report to the Hokage about the mission.<p>

"That bit of information helps. At least now we know what is so important about Adatta's notes. I'm going to need to take a few blood samples from you, Soi. I've already started working on what your father left behind, but it would help if I had Mouki blood to work with."

"Sure thing."

"Good. The three of you are off duty for a week." Kiba and Guy looked sad that they were given time off, but Sai looked indifferent. "You may go." While everyone left I followed Tsunade-sensei to the hospital. She took several vials of my blood and labeled them with some medical writing mumbo-jumbo.

Once I was done at the hospital I made my way to Shikamaru's house. Like I had promised, I told him everything about my past. The good, the bad, and the ugly. He took everything well, but grew annoyed towards the end. Every time I mentioned Kouki or Ichirou his eyes became a bit darker.

"You should have killed them."

"I know," I said softly, "but I always hoped they would change and that we could go back to the way things use to be."

I stayed, more like forced to stay, for dinner at the Nara residence. We laughed and talked about old times and how much I enjoyed being Shikamaru's sensei. Never in my life did I think I'd become a sensei, but it turned out to be one of the best things that ever happened to me. Things were started to look up for me again and I couldn't be happier.

After dinner I made my way to my house, grabbed a few things, then headed over to Kakashi's place. The door was unlocked like I expected it to be. He was cooking something that smelled yummy, but I knew I couldn't eat any of it. "What took you so long?"

"I went to see Shikamaru and stayed for dinner."

"I'm not going to be able to eat all of this by myself."

"Save some for tomorrow," I said as I plopped on the couch.

"I ran into your mother today."

"And?"

"She seemed very upset that you didn't tell her that we're getting married."

A cold shiver went down my back as I glared at him from my spot on the couch. "Why would you tell her!"

"Because she was going to figure it out sooner or later."

"We went on a mission a few days after I asked you. There was no time to tell her."

"You could've said something during those few days. I figured you did."

"Liar! You practically kept me chained up in the bedroom the entire time."

"Practically being the key word." He brought a bowl of soup over with him and sat next to me. "You had some free time."

"You're such a jerk. You do realize I'm a dead woman, right? You wont get the chance to marry me."

"She's even more upset that we're getting married next week and that she doesn't have enough time to plan anything big."

I couldn't do anything, but gawk at him. This man was trying to get me killed. "Next week? Don't you think that's a tad too soon?"

"Aren't you the one who said we shouldn't waste time?"

Ooh, he was good. He was very good. "You're evil."

"I can be."


	22. Wedding Day

AN: forgive me that this chapter was rushed. I wanted to update three chapters since I'll be gone for three weeks. I only had an hour to so to get this done and I hardly looked it over. Forgive me! I'll fix it if/when I have time.

"Spoken" _Thought/Flashback/Dream_ **Writing **

Chapter 21: Wedding Day

Soi's POV

As much as I love Kakashi, sometimes I really want to kill him…or break his legs…whatever. I felt like I was going to pass out as we walked up to the beautiful building. "Ladies first," he snickered as he held open the front door to mom's house.

"I don't want to do this."

He lightly pushed me through the doorway and followed me down the hall. "You're a shinobi. You should be able to handle this."

We made our way to the living room where all my family sat around talking. The warm sound of their voice stopped the second they saw us. Chiasa and Jun busted out laughing when they saw my nervous expression. "You're in so much trouble."

I looked over at mom and of course she didn't look happy. Like a five year old begging for their parent's forgiveness, I practically flung myself to her side. "He shouldn't have told you anything! I wanted to tell you, but there wasn't any time."

"You make time, you little brat! I raise you and this is how you repay me? By not telling me that you're getting married? And in a week?"

"Kakashi as the one who told you that it was in a week. I had no part in that decision." All of the adults in the room, minus Obaa-san, were laughing at us. More precisely, me. "You know that I tell you everything, but I didn't have the time to tell you about this."

"How many people are coming to the after party," Umeko asked from behind me. I looked over my shoulder at her snickering face. She obviously was amused by this entire situation. "Just so I know how many to cook for."

"I don't know. We haven't planned anything yet."

"Well, get on it or you're not getting anything from me."

I let out annoyed grunt as I turned back to look at my mother. "Honestly, it's all his fault."

She glanced over my shoulder to look at my soon to be husband. "He looks innocent enough."

"You would rather believe him than your own daughter? That hurts, ma."

For the first time all day, Obaa-san finally spoke up. "Do you have any idea how quickly I have to make your dress?"

"It's going to be a small, informal wedding. And I can buy something cheap at the store."

"Oh no you're not!"

I think I felt an unpleasant chill go down my spine. It was rare that she ever yelled at me. "Yes, ma'am." I could hear Kakashi chuckle from his side of the room and I was hit with the overwhelming urge to throw something at him.

The rest of the day was spent making wedding arrangements. The theme is going to be red and white flowers, that way Obaa-san and mom can put in as many cherry blossoms as they wanted. I wanted it to be black and white, but my mother would kill me before allowing any black, beside Kakashi's outfit, at the wedding.

Obaa-san took my measurements for the dress and even offered to make Kakashi's suite, but he said he'd be fine. Umeko planned on making all of the food, including the cake, and wouldn't allow me to help her. Mom and Chiasa said they would do my makeup since I didn't really know how. Manabu, trying to be the sweet brother that sometimes is, tried to give Kakashi a threatening, I'm mean pleasant talk about taking care of me, but we all know my sweet little brother could never take the copy ninja.

By the end of the day I was exhausted and ready to go home. We walked down the slightly noisy street together, not saying a word until I nudged him in the side. "What was that for?"

"For making mom mad at me."

"You weren't going to tell her."

"I was going to tell her the moment you gave me enough time to leave the bedroom!" Ever people stopped to look at us at my loud outburst. Not that a really cared what any of them were thinking about me, but I always hated being the center of attention.

"Smooth."

Further down the street I spotted Anko and Kurenai. Thankfully, there were at least two people I could tell before Kakashi ruined it. I sprinted towards them before Kakashi noticed them himself. "Hey guys, I've got something to tell you."

"Who's going to be your maid of honor," Anko asked flatly.

"What the hell! How do you know?"

"Your mom told us. At least there are some kind people in the world."

"You have got to be…don't me mad. This is all Kakashi's fault."

"I can see that," they said at the same time.

"But don't change the subject. Who's it going to be?" Anko nudged me in the side, trying to make her point.

"I haven't thought about it yet."

"Lame."

I rolled my eyes at her before a terrifying idea popped into my head. "Does Tsunade-sensei know?"

"Probably."

Kakashi finally caught up to us and seemed very pleased with himself. "Yo."

"I am going to murder you if she knows," I yelled at him before dashing towards the Hokage's Tower.

When I reached the tower I slowly made my way up the steps and to her office. Once her office door came into view all the blood in my body froze. Did she already know? Is she going to be mad at me? I knocked on the door and slowly pushed it open. She didn't raise her head to see who it was, so I slowly made my way into the room. "Tsunade-sensei?"

"What," she asked flatly. "I've got too much paper work right now. Make it quick."

"I was just wondering. Have you heard any rumors floating around the village? Ones about me?"

She finally looked up at me, making my breath catch in my throat. I was expecting her to yell at me, but she looked completely oblivious. "What did you do?"

"Kakashi and I are getting married next week and I want you to be the one to marry us." I let out my pent up breath.

"Ok."

"Really?" That seemed too easy. Something had to be going on.

"Really. I'll do it."

"Uh, thank you sensei."

"No problem. Now, get out of my office." I quickly turned to the door before anything else could happen, but I couldn't get their quick enough. "The next time something important happens I better be one of the first people you tell."

_Damn it, Kakashi!_

The next week flew by so quickly that I'm not even sure how we reached the wedding day. Besides my family, all of our friends attended the wedding. We had it in a field not far from the outer wall of Konoha. Chiasa and Jun hung lanterns from the trees in various shade of red. White chairs were lined up perfectly along rolled out white carpet. A few feet away from the chairs was a massive table with all sorts of food and a three layer red and white cake.

My dress, considering I wasn't allowed to know what it looked like until the wedding day, was beautiful. Like all wedding dresses, it was white. As much as I hated the color, I sucked it up for Obaa-san's sake. It hung off my shoulders and stretched all the way to my feet. A light pink sash, which had cherry blossoms imprinted on it, was wrapped around stomach and made a bow in the back. The side parts of my hair met in the back in an intricate knot, while the rest fell in its natures shape. In the knot was a stick with blooming cherry blossoms sticking out. The only jewelry I was wearing were droopy earrings and a silver bracelet that looked live and ivy vine.

Kakashi, the lucky bastard, didn't have as much on as me. He was in a simple black suite and tie. Obaa-san literally threatened to harm him if he didn't take off his forehead protect for the wedding. I told her why he needed to wear it, so his eye wouldn't get worn out, so she bought him an eye patch. I'm not sure if he took it not to offend her or because he was scared of her, but he took it with a smile. She even tried to get him to not wear the mask, but he wasn't that generous.

As we said our "I do's" and sealed our fate with a masked covered kiss, all of our friends clapped with joy. Surprisingly, I didn't think I would be this happy. I already knew Kakashi and I were always going to be together, whether we got married or not, but this felt so right. The day was warm and sunny, my family and friends were here to share in my happiness, and the man I loved was equally as happy as I was. My world was perfect.

During the reception the small field was filled with chatter. I took off my shoes the second after Kakashi and I kissed. I had to use my chakra to keep me up straight most of the time, so eventually I took off those horrid things. My new husband and I sat next to each other as our friends made speeches. Anko was the first to speak and I laughed the entire time. She couldn't stop poking fun at Kakashi for me. Best wedding gift ever! The next to speak was Guy. I couldn't understand a word he said through his uncontrollable tears. I'm not really sure if they were tears of joy or some other form of tears.

The last person to speak was Kakashi. "I'd like to thank all of you for joining us today." When did he become so formal? "I'd especially like to thank Soi's family for working so quickly on everything. If Soi wasn't in such a rush to do this, I'm sure you would have appreciated the extra time." I could see that satisfied smirk of his through his mask. I tried to glare at him, but I couldn't feel any negativity at the moment. "I know our story hasn't been the happiest, but I know that the rest of our story will be perfect." He smiled down at me before kissing my forehead. Kami, I really love this man. I don't know how I got so lucky, but I thank my lucky stars that I have him.

After the speeches and an inaudible toast from Guy, everyone started digging into Umeko's amazing food. I noticed that Kakashi's team kept a close eye one him, probably waiting for him to pull off his mask. Kurenai and Iruka distracted them long enough to allow Kakashi to eat without being noticed. The look of disappointed made the day even better.

Music from the boom-box we brought floated through the air as we ate. Sango ran over to me and pulled on my arm. I smiled down at her and before sitting her on my lap. "You're pretty," she said before picking up my chopsticks and started eating my food.

"Thank you, lovely. You look pretty too." Sango, along with my other younger girl cousins, were in pink dresses with a deep red sash wrapped around the middle. Takeo was in a black suite with a red tie. All of them looked so adorable. She looked over at Kakashi and blush. "He looks very nice, doesn't he," I whispered into her ear. She smiled and nodded before ripping into my food again.

"You seem to enjoy that," Kakashi said from my side. He was looking at the little girl on my lap with a loving smile.

"Oh, yeah. I love sharing my food with a messy child."

He looked like he was going to say something else, but mom came over and grabbed my attention. "Sango, don't eat her food. You have an untouched plate that needs to be worked on."

"I don't care, mom. As long as she's eating something, it's ok."

"Either way, she shouldn't sit on you. Her shoes have dirt on them and they'll ruin your dress."

"I'm not going to wear it again."

"But we still have pictures." She picked up Sango and set her on the ground. My little bundle of joy ran back to spot between her parents as mom pulled me to the side. "Well, don't you look beautiful." She told me that a million times today and each time she started to cry, this time being no different.

"Don't cry, mom," I begged as I gave her a hug.

She squeezed me back, but wouldn't let go. "I wish your father could have been here for this." That made me squeeze her tighter.

"I wish he could have been here, too." She finally pulled away from me, a few tears falling from her eyes. "Don't cry. You have to look good for the pictures."

She chuckled at me as she rid her face of the tears. "Oh, I love you honey. I'm so happy you have Kakashi. Kami knows I wouldn't allow you to be with any less." I could help but laugh at her. I knew she would let me marry the poorest man on the planet if we truly loved each other, but Kakashi had always been the only person she really liked. Not that I ever looked at anyone else, but he was the apple in her eye.

"Alright you two. Get over here and cut the cake," Umeko said by the food table.

Kakashi and I walked over and examined it. Neither of us knew what we wanted the flavor to be, so we left it up to her. "What kind did you make?"

"The bottom layer is red velvet, the middle is chocolate, and the top is vanilla. That way everyone can pick what they want." That was a good idea, but bad for me. I'm going to have to have a piece of each. With one knife and our hands intertwined, we cut the cake together. Chiasa took pictures as the knife slowly slid down the take.

After serving and eating the cake, way too many slices on my part, it was time for dancing. Jun stood in for the father-daughter dance. As much as I wish dad could have been there, I was completely happy that Jun was my dance partner. "You don't look half bad," he said with a smirk.

"I'm surprised that a mammoth like you can clean up so well. I'll have to tell mom that I approve." We laughed at each other before becoming serious.

His faced turned a mixture of love and seriousness as his sarcasm vanished. "You do look beautiful. I'm happy for you."

"Thank you." Our dance ended too quickly, but I couldn't wait for the second one to begin. "Hello there, stranger."

"Hello to you, too." Kakashi and I smiled at each other as we twirled around in circle. "How are you holding up under all the attention?"

"We should have eloped."

"I thought about it after I told your mother."

"On second thought, this is better. Just imagine what would have happened if we did elope. We wouldn't be able to come back. Tsunade-sensei, mom, and the other would kill us the second we got back."

"You're right, but I'd say you forced me into it."

"How could I force you?"

"You can be very persuasive."

I laughed at him before resting my head on his chest. "I love you," I said softly.

"I love you too."

After our dance I was ready to call it quits, but the guests had other plans. Mom and Obaa-san danced with Kakashi while I was monopolized by Guy for three dances.

"You look so beautiful," he said with tears streaming down his face.

"Thank you, Guy," I said between laughs. "You look very handsome."

He glared over my shoulder to the silver haired man not too far away. "My rival better take care of you or his youthful ways might come to an end."

Was that a threat I heard form the overly happy Guy. "Um, thank you?"

"Alright Guy, let everyone else have a crack at her." Genma lightly pushed Guy out of the way and took his spot.

"You're actually going to touch me? Willingly?"

"Don't get use to it," he said as he pulled me to him. "This is a one time thing."

"Whatever you say."

After dancing with Iruka, Anko, Kurenai, and a few other members of my family, I finally got to dance with the one person I was looking forward to see.

"I don't do dances," he said as a small blush crossed his face as he held me gently.

"Aw, come on, Shikamaru. Think of it as practice for your wedding."

"I'm too young to get married."

"So? Just remember what we're doing now and apply those skills to your big day. Anyone you have in mind?" I tried looking into those beautiful dark eyes of his, but he looked away. "Ino?"

"No," he said flatly. "She's like a sister to me."

"Then who?"

"You don't know her. She's not from around here."

"When do I get to meet her? I have to make sure she's good enough for you." Although it came out as a joke, I was completely serious. Whoever this girl was had to be perfect for my Shikamaru.

Pictures came next. Kakashi and I took so many photos, it was unbelievable. We took them with our family, our friends, and a few mixes in between. One of my favorites was of all of my jounin friends and I together. It reminded me of the photo we took in the park all those years ago. Another one of my favorites was of my team and I. Just to make it silly I kissed Shikamaru on his temple while pulling Ino and Chouji's cheeks. No one can say I'm not a fun sensei.

Perhaps the most meaningful pictures I took were the ones with my mom, Obaa-san, and Tsunde-sensei. We each had individual pictures where it was just mean and one of them, but each photo almost made me cry. They were the three most influential female figures of my life. Obaa-san was the perfect grandmother and it often felt like I had two moms. I don't know what I would do or what I would have become without them.

As the sun began to set everyone started making their way back to the village. Genma, Iruka, and few of the other guys stuck around to help clean up, but Kakashi and I were basically kicked out of our own party. "Go home and have some fun. Leave the mess to us," Umeko said after kissing my cheek and nudging towards the village. We said our goodbyes and thank yous to everyone before we started back home.

"That was a long day," my husband, Kami I love the sound of that, said from my side.

"Agreed. I feel fat from all the food."

"I'm sure the cake didn't help."

"Five pieces. Why didn't you stop me?"

"I know better than to come in between you and food."

When we turned down the street with our apartments on it, I realized that we didn't have a home together. "We're going to have to figure out where to live."

"Move in with me. My place is bigger."

"Ok." Well, that didn't take long to figure out. We'd figure out when to move my stuff in later. Tonight was all about us and our new life together. When we reached his front door I made a move for the doorknob, but he stopped me. "What, " I asked curiously.

He scooped me up in his arm like, well, a bride. "We have to do this right or your mother will never forgive me."

"Were you planning on telling her that you carried me through the doorway?"

"No, but if she asked I would rather not be caught in a lie. Not by her."

"Good choice." There was a slight clicking followed by a hissing sound as he turned the doorknob. It took us both a second to realize where we recognized the sound from. His arms tightened around me as he used his chakra to push off the front steps and land on the roof of the building across the street. While we were in the air a loud boom filled the air. Fire and smoke poured out of the windows of his apartment.

Several people on the street ran from the fire while other stopped and stared at the burning building. Because Kakashi building is part of a building complex, many people were stuck on the outside balcony, the flames from his apartment blocking their exit. Everyone on the first floor got out safely, but I had to act quickly before anyone got hurt. "Take care of the flames and I'll take care of the people."

I jumped to the other side of the street, then up to the second floor balcony. There were seven people looking at me with a mixture of hope and fear. "Don't worry, I'll get you down." The first load of people I took down were kids. I had on one in each arm and one on my back. "Hold on tight," I told them before jumping down to the ground. I put them on the other side of the street, far away from the flames, before making my way back for the other.

As I made my leap back to the second look a wave of water flew past me and washed through Kakashi's front door. While I took two more people down I saw Kakashi make his way into the apartment to put out the rest of the fire. Moments later I was back on the second floor, ready to take the remaining two people down, but Kakashi already had one in his arms. I picked up the last one and we jumped down together.

"Are all of you alright," I asked the group of ash-covered civilians.

"Yes," an older man said through a deep and unpleasant sounding cough. "Thank you."

His cough couldn't have been just from the smoke, but it sounded bad enough to need attention. "Sir, you don't sound so great. Can I take you to the hospital?"

"No," he coughed again, "I have to look after my granddaughter." He pointed to one of the children I brought down.

"She can come with us. I'd really prefer if you'd go to the hospital. I'll carry you."

"I'll carry you," Kakashi butted in. "You can carry the girl."

I looked back at them man, silently pleading that he'd come with us. "Alright, I'll go."

In no time at all we were at the hospital. While the older man and the girl were getting looked over, Tsunade came into the waiting room and glared at us. "What are you doing here? It's your wedding day."

"My apartment blew up," Kakashi said flatly.

"So I heard, but Soi's apartment is still in one piece, right? Go home and have a proper wedding night."

"Shouldn't we try to figure out who tried to kill us?"

"Do that tomorrow."

Now she was just being silly. "Sensei-"

"No. Enough crap has happened between to the both of you. You need at least one day of normalcy."

"No offense, sensei, but it's not going to be today."

"Just…go home." With no further argument from us, we did as we were told.

The walk to my place was silent. Our hair was mess, both of our cloths were covered in ash, and we smelled like smoke. When we reached my apartment me stopped me from opening it a second time. "Get downstairs."

"Kakashi, I highly doubt my apartment will explode too."

"Get downstairs." With a roll of the eyes I jumped over the balcony and landed in the street. After a few moments of silence I heard him yell, "it's ok," before I jumped back up.

Although my place didn't blow up I was hit with another surprise. There were bouquets of midnight burgundy Calla Lillies, my all time favorite flowers, all over the place. "Did you order these," I asked him as I maneuvered through the endless sea of flowers.

"No."

We both started looking through the flowers, hoping we'd be lucky enough to find a clue as to who sent us the flowers. Lucky for me, I found a small card. "Found a card." After reading it and without thinking, I used my ability to slice the card in half. The small pieces of paper fell to the ground as I started towards the bedroom.

Kakashi grabbed my upper arm and pulled me to him before I could go to far away. "What did it say?"

As I looked up at him I tried so hard to hide my anger induced tears. I was half expecting him to let me go, but he only held me tighter. That was one of the many things I loved about him. He didn't move away when I was angry, never afraid of my touch. "Love Kouki." I let out a frustrated sigh as I quickly rid myself of my annoying tears. "How did he know we were getting married?"

"I don't know, but we'll figure it out." His arms formed a protective cage around me as I rested my head on his chest.

As the seconds ticked by like hours a hard realization hit me. "This isn't going to stop."

"We'll make it stop." His voice was so reassuring, but I couldn't take all of it to heart. We had no idea where Kouki was and I highly doubt the Iwa search team will find him. All we could do was wait for his next deadly move.

"He almost killed you tonight, Kakashi." I knew this fact, I was there when it happened, but saying it out loud made it hurt even more. "I know it was him. Who else could it be?" I dug my head farther into his chest, hoping he wouldn't notice that I no longer could hold back my tears. "I can't do this forever."

"You wont have to." He pulled me almost arms length away. His mask was already pulled down as his lips collided with mine. I could feel all the love and passion he held for me and I returned it eagerly. As we pulled away, breathless, he leaned his forehead against mine. "We're going to get through this. We're going to be fine." He cupped my face lightly and brushed away a few of my stray tears. "Please don't cry."

I tried to give him a reassuring smile, but it probably didn't come out as well as I had hopped. He kissed my forehead before lightly pushing me towards the bedroom. "One second," I said as I ducked into the bathroom.

The girl in the mirror stared at me as I stared back at her. She looked horrible. Definitely not what a bride should look like on her wedding day. "How did it get this bad," I whispered to myself. I took out the stick and let my hair flow freely. After ridding my face of all the makeup I started for the door.

As I was about to grab it when an incredible pain shot through my chest. For a few moments the phrase "my heart skipped a beat" actually applied to me. I fell to my knees, clutching my chest, wishing the pain away. After a few moments, the initial pain faded, but the shock of the experience remained. The only time I ever felt pain like that was when Kouki and I use to spar and he'd turn my kekkei genkai back on me.

"Are you alright," I heard through the door.

"Fine. Just tripping over myself." I couldn't keep doing this. I couldn't keep lying to him. I have to tell him what is wrong with me before this gets too noticeable.

When I finally made my way into the bedroom Kakashi had his jacket off and was undoing his tie. I couldn't help the smirk on my face as I leaned on the doorframe. "You look very handsome."

"You mean I did."

"No. You still do."

"Flattery will get you everywhere, Mrs. Hatake."

"What if I want to keep my name?"

"Do you want to?"

I scoffed at the thought as I moved to sit on the bed. "Why would I? The more I distance myself from those people, the better."

"Your clan has an amazing reputation. You shouldn't belittle them."

"Four people in the clan care for me. Four out of…I don't know how many. Why care about their name when I can have a better one?"

"So, you married me for my name?"

"Partly," I joked.

I looked up at him as he moved to stand before me. He held my hands lightly in his as he pulled me up. "You looked beautiful today. You still do."

"Don't steal my ideas," I said as I poked him in the chest.

One of his hands made its way to the bow on the back of my dress while the other cupped my chin, holding my head in place. I could never, would never, get enough of his kisses. They always made me feel so safe, so loved. "I love you."

"I love you too."


	23. Bad News

AN: I can't apologies enough for how long I made you guys wait. I wanted to upload sooner, but Fanfiction told me I couldn't. First time that has ever happened to me. Anyway, I'm sorry for the long wait.

"Spoken" _Thought/Flashback/Dream_ **Writing **

Chapter 22: Bad News

The stone hallway echoed with the sounds of footsteps as a violet-eyed man paced back and forth. His blond, pale-eyed friend opened his bedroom door and stared at the other shinobi in a dazed manner. "Kouki, it's 3am," he said between two deep yawns. "What's up?"

"Do you think she got the flowers?"

"I'm sure she did." Yawn.

"Do you think she liked them?"

"They're her favorite flowers. How could she not?"

Kouki finally stopped pacing, his eyes finally settling on his friend. "She's been…away for a while. Her taste in things might have changed."

Ichirou leaned on the doorframe while giving his friend an annoyed look. "Come on, Kou. She likes all kind of flowers, but her tasted in those midnight…whatevers will never change." For the first time in days, Kouki finally smiled. "What you should worry about is if you blew her up or not."

"She's too smart to fall for something like that."

It was rare that Ichirou ever argued with his best friend, but it was even more rare to be annoyed with him. Currently, he was both. "Kou, I can see why you'd want to kill Kakashi. He deserves it for taking her away from us, but what if you did hurt her? How would we know?"

For a second, Kouki was actually worried. What if he did hurt the woman he loved? What if she was dead? "She's fine. Letsu made sure that her pet checks in with us every three days. We'll know then."

"Whatever you say. Personally, I'm antsy about it. If she did get hurt, Kou, I'm gonna-"

"Don't worry. You wont have to do anything," the brunet said as he started down the hallway. "I'd take care of myself."

Ichirou watched his friend disappeared down the hall before returning to bed. As much as he wanted Kakashi dead, Kouki's idea on how to do it put his big sister in jeopardy too. The blond was never the type for prayers, but he prayed to the heaves, stars, and spirits when Kouki took the initiative to blow up the copy-nin. "Please be ok, sis."

While the Yamanaka returned to bed, Kouki made his way to the research room. With ease he unlocked giant metal door and stepped inside. The buzzing of energy in the room made him smile. People were running back and forth, writing things down, checking beakers, and other scientific things that way above his head. "Keep up the good work," he said before leaving the room. Several people stopped to look at the man as he exited while others started working harder.

Kouki's next stop was the surface entrance. It had been a few days since he saw the sky and, more than anything, he wanted to see the stars. The giant metal hatched door squeaked open as fresh night air filled his lungs. As he fully emerged from his hideout, six Iwa shinobi, including Letsu, appeared at his side. "Anything to report?"

"No," she said flatly as she made her way to his side. "Get back to your posts," she ordered. Her new toys, or pets as Kouki and Ichirou like to call them, disappeared into the trees. "How's it coming?"

"It's coming." The brunet laid his body on the ground, his arms propping up his head to getting a better look at the stars.

That didn't seem to be the answer Letsu was looking for. "Kouki, how long?"

"Do I look like a scientist?"

"You look like a fucking procrastinator!" She racked a hand through her long blue hair. Her nerves had started to get the better of her a few days ago and it's only been getting worse. "He needs that cure."

"So does Soi."

"Screw her! Why would you bother with a girl who faked her death? Obviously she doesn't care about you." Letsu's body was now where Kouki's use to been. The front part of her body was pinned to the ground while her hands were pinned behind her back by one of Kouki's powerful hands. The other hand was on the side of her throat, keeping a tight grip to make sure she couldn't speak properly.

"Watch yourself, Letsu. I know what's at stake. He's not going to die and Soi isn't going to get sick. Everything will be fine." Letsu struggled against him, but couldn't break free from his grasp. Once he knew that he had won their little struggle, Kouki let her up.

Letsu bolted up and glared at him while she held her throat. "This better work, Kouki."

Her reply was a self-serving smirk as he laid back on the ground. Thoughts of his curly haired woman began filling his head. The thought of having her in his arms again made him smile. "We'll be together again soon."

Soi's POV  
>Despite the explosion and the knowledge that Kouki knows my every movement, our wedding knight was amazing. How is it that this guy never ceases to amaze me? I know shinobi are supposed to have a lot of stamina, but dear Kami…let's just say I've never had better.<p>

For once in all our time together, I woke up first. Kakashi was on his stomach to my side, with an arm draped around my midsection. He looked at peace and childlike with his face nuzzled into my shoulder. Someone I managed to hold back the chuckled I could feel building up inside of me. I brushed a few strands of hair out of his face to get a better look. Uh, he's so adorable.

His mismatched eyes fluttered open before looking up at me. He let out a yawn before pulling me closer to him and burrowing his head into my neck, making me giggle a little. "Morning."

"Morning," he replied as he kissed my neck.

"I can't feel anything below my waist," I said as my fingers racked through his beautiful silver hair.

"Good. That means we don't have to leave the apartment today."

His kisses started to tickle, making me giggle even more. The arm that was around my stomach squeezed me even tighter. "Again? Not that I'm complaining, but how do you have any more energy?"

"Magic." There really was no flaw in his logic or at least none that I was willing to point out.

I'm sure our billionth round of ecstasy would've been fun, but life seemed to have other plans in. There was a familiar pain in my chest like last night, but this one was different. Instead of my heart hurting, no air found its way into my lungs. My body grew stiff as my hands flew to my throat. Kakashi brought his head back immediately to look at me. "What's wrong?" His face was confused and scared. I wanted to tell him that it would pass, but this one seemed to last longer than the rest. "What's wrong? What do I do?" For the first time since this started, I was actually getting scared. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't seem to get any fresh air. As things were starting to blur and the walls began to spin, the pain stopped. I couldn't help the uncontrollable coughing fit as I finally got a fresh batch of air. Kakashi sat up straight and held me in his lap as my breathing came back to normal. "What was that?" The fear and anger in his voice, made me shudder.

_Well, I'm screwed._

Once I could breath normally, I rested my head on his shoulder. "I think we need to see Tsunade."

After getting dressed and ready for the day, under Kakashi's unwavering gaze, we slowly made our way to Tsunade's office. I tried to summon Kai in order for her to go get mom, but Kakashi made me stopped and summoned Pakkun instead. Even though I said I was fine multiple times, he wouldn't let me do anything. No summoning. No running across rooftops. Nada. I love the man, but he can be a bit over protective.

When we reached Tsunade-sensei's office we had to wait for her to be done with someone else. We sat on the windowsills in hall as time ticked by. Kakashi's eyes never left me, but I was staring out the window. It was sunny outside, practically begging for me to go out and play.

The faint sounds of footsteps and paw prints echoed through the hall, instantly grabbing my attention. Mom and Pakkun were walking towards us, both looking confused. "What did you do," mom asked with a concerned, yet amused voice. "Even when you were in school, I never had to come to the Hokage's Tower to get you."

I gave her a smile as I hopped off the sill. "What makes you think I did something wrong? Maybe it was Kakashi."

"Hardly. I'm assuming this had something to do with the explosion last night. Did you do it?"

"Just because I have the ability to blow things up doesn't mean I did that. " I had to really concentrate to keep from smiling at my mother's expression. She gave me one of those 'I know you did something' looks. "In a round about way, yeah. I think."

"You think?" The door to Tsunade-sensei's office creaked open and out popped two ANBU members. Kakashi and I nodded to them as mom stepped out of their way. Once they were out of earshot, or at least that's what mom though, she leaned over to me and whispered, "I'm so happy you don't do that anymore." I couldn't help chuckle as I lightly pushed her into the office.

When Tsunade-sensei's gaze landed on us, her confusion was evident. "This is…a treat. All three of you?" A small cough to Kakashi's side brought sensei's gaze to the ground. "Four of you."

"Soi has something to tell us." I looked over at Kakashi before immediately turning to Tsunade. It was obvious he was unhappy and worried about what I had to say, but I couldn't put this off anymore.

Instead of easing into it, I decided to be blunt. "I'm sick."

Mom and Tsunade-sensei stared at me like I'm so kind of idiot. "Go to a pharmacy and get some medicine," sensei said flatly.

Mom was about to add to what sensei had to say, but I cut her off. "The dying kind of sick." That seemed to get everyone's attention. Mom's eyes went wide while Kakashi and Tsunde were studying me closely.

"Soi, that's not something to joke about."

"I'm not joking, mom. I'm sick."

"How so?" I explained to her what grandma told me when I was in Iwa and about my random pain spasms. "Why didn't you say something?" Tears were already in my mother's eyes as she held my hand in a tight grip.

"I thought it was happening because of stress. I assumed it would go away eventually."

"Tsunade, you're going to do something, right?" I was slightly surprised mom called her Tsunade, not Hokage. Perhaps it was in the heat of the moment or maybe because she wasn't thinking straight.

Tsunade's gaze was hard and distant. "We've been working around the clock on a cure based on Adatta's notes." The coldness in her voice made me shutter. I haven't heard her talk to me like that in years. "Until we can figure out how to fix this, you're off active duty."

"What!"

"You're a danger and a liability to even the lowest of missions. You can still train with you're team, but that's it." I wanted to protest, but I knew she was right. I was a liability. Uh, Shikamaru is going to kill me. "I want you at the hospital in an hour for tests."

I nodded my head while squeezing mom's hand even tighter. Kakashi's silence was painful. The worst part was that he didn't even voice his frustration. I would've preferred if he yelled at me or something. With a quick dismissive hand gesture from Tsunade-sensei the three of us exited in silence, besides a few sobs from mom. "Mom, I'll meet you at the house later, but I have to take care of a few things right now, ok?" I rubbed her back as she nodded her head. Seeing her cry made me want to cry too. I gave her a quick kiss before sending her off. Once she was out of sight I lightly pulled Kakashi's arm in the opposite direction. "I want to talk to you for a sec." Thankfully, he didn't put up a fight as I led him to the roof. The bright sunshine and the cool breeze made my mood shift. I didn't even try to hide my smile as I soaked up the sun. Kakashi leaned on the railing that circled the entire roof, looking out over the village, so I sat on it next to him. "A penny for your thoughts."

"Why didn't you tell me?" His voice was like Tsunade's a moment ago, cold.

Instead of getting myself worked up I took a deep breath and steadied my voice. "I thought it would go away."

"You knew you were sick since Iwa. Why didn't you say anything?"

That's a good question. Why didn't I say anything? "Because…because I didn't know what to say. I didn't want it to be real. We've already had enough to worry about and I didn't want to add any more problems."

He pushed off the railing and stood directly in front of me. His hands were deep in his pockets and his **stair** sent a shiver down my spine. "That doesn't mean you can keep something like this from me."

"I know…I know. I just…I'm dying, Kakashi. There's not much we can do about that."

"Tsunade is working on the cure and we don't know how long you have. Your grandmother said it's different for everyone."

"Last night I felt like I was having a heart attack and today I couldn't breath. I have a feeling I'm on the fast track to an early grave."

"Don't say that. You're going to be fine."

"Maybe if we had the rest of dad's notes." I know he knew that I meant that statement to be sarcastic, but I saw that little flicker run through him. That moment of thought that he couldn't hide from me. "Don't you dare."

"Why not?"

"Leave them alone."

"Leave them alone? Soi, they blew up my apartment and could've killed us. They kidnapped your cousins and broke into two of the five great shinobi villages. They're not people that can be left alone."

"We have a moment of peace. Lets take it."

"No."

"We don't know how much time I have. Lets just take what we can get."

"Not if there's a chance I could save your life."

Now I was frustrated. Why would he want to provoke them? Tsunade-sensei is already working on a cure, so why bother going after Kouki? "You're being stupid."

"You're being selfish."

My fingers wrapped around the railing, keeping me in place. Also to make sure I don't do anything stupid with my hands. "How am I the selfish one?"

"I have never known you to quit, but now you're ready to give up."

"I know when I'm fighting a losing battle."

"That never stopped you before."

"What do you want from me! I'm dying and the chances of Tsunde figuring out a cure in time is slim to none. We don't even know where Kouki is, but you want to run off and find him and somehow I'm the selfish one? Why can't you spend the little time I have left with me?"

"Because I intended to length your time," and with that he walk back into the building. He can be so frustrating sometimes.

A soft breeze picked up, instantly calming me. After a few deep breaths I began to replay our argument in my head. Now that I thought about it, we were both selfish and right. We both wanted to be with each other, but we had different ways of going about it.

I hopped off of the railing and took a few steps towards the side of the roof the led to the hospital. After taking one more look in the direction Kakashi vanished, I jumped off the roof and started towards the hospital.

Kakashi's POV  
>Tsunade was still in her office when I walked back in. Her head was in her hands as eyes were fixed on her desk. "What, Hatake?"<p>

"I want your permission to form a search party to find Kouki." She slowly raised her head and gave me a blank stare. "Not that I really need your permission, but it would make it easier if I don't have to work around you."

She slowly leaned back in her chair as she mentally debated her answer. "Tell me who you want and they're all yours."

"It wont be hard to find some people, but I'll let you know. How did the Iwa search team go?"

"I haven't heard anything, so that means they're dead or didn't come back." There was no point in responding. We all knew that the search team wouldn't have found them and if they didn't, it wouldn't end well for them. "I'm not sure how quick I can make this cure. When I'm not here, I'm at the hospital working on it. Sakura hasn't seen the outside of the research room in days and everyone else who is working on it is as stumped as I am."

"You're the legendary medical-ninja. If you can't figure it out, then no one can."


	24. Good News

"Spoken" _Thought/Flashback/Dream_ **Writing **

Chapter 23: Good News

Soi's POV  
>The next two months were hell on Earth. Everyone was treating me like some glass doll. Kakashi, when he was home, watched me like a hawk. I couldn't go anywhere without him and when we spared together I had to force him to actually take me seriously. As expected, Shikamaru was pissed. He didn't throw a crying fit like Ino, but his silence spoke volumes. Mom and the others tried their best to keep calm, but I could tell have they really felt. The only person who acted like nothing was wrong was Anko. In fact, she turned it into a joke.<p>

"So, you're sparing with me tomorrow, right?"

"Anko, you've asked me that three times today. Yes!"

"Just making sure. I don't want you dying on me." The two of us laughed as we sat on the roof of her apartment building eating ice-cream.

"I'd be too afraid to die. You'd find some way to bring me back, just to kill me yourself."

"Damn straight." I chuckled at her before taking another lick of my mango ice-cream. "How are you feeling?"

"Same old, same old. I haven't had any major issues. Actually, now that I think about it, I haven't had any pain for a few weeks."

"Oooh, look at you. Maybe it was due to stress."

"Maybe…do you think I should tell Tsunade?"

"You better. Maybe she'll put you back on active duty and you can go on this upcoming mission with me."

"What do you have to do?"

"Assassination."

I rolled my eyes at her before taking another lick. "Too easy. You can do that yourself."

"In the Tea Country."

"I'll go!" It was no secret that I love tea. Tea, tea, tea, tea, tea. I love it like no other! There are alcoholics in the world, I'm at teaolic.

Anko rolled onto her back, put on of her dirty feet on my back, and pushed me off the room. I landed on the ground with easy as I looked up at her. "Go tell her!"

_She's so pushy._

The Hokage's Tower was the first place I went, but sensei wasn't there. So I did a U-turn and headed for the hospital. As I walked through the white halls of the hospital a sense of annoyance washed over me. I had officially become Kakashi. I now hated hospital. This place became my second home these past two months and it drove me crazy.

I found my blond teacher in the research room, right where I knew she would be. "No food in the lab."

How did she know? She didn't even look up at me from her microscope and you can't smell ice-cream. "It's mango. Want a lick?" Her arm shot out in my direction, still not looking away from the machine. With a winning smirk I handed it to her. She finally pulled away from her machine and started eating what use to be my treat. I knew I wouldn't get it back. "I have good news for you."

"What?"

"I haven't had any pain in a week." She looked skeptical and rolled her eyes. "I'm serious. I've had no problems. Just ask mom or my students." For the past few weeks I had been spending a lot of time at mom's house. When Kakashi was off on a mission, with my team mind you, I stayed with mom. Everyone, beside me, thought it would be a good idea if I stayed with someone at all times. When I wasn't at home or being watched I worked at the academy as an after school instructor. I help the students perfect their taijutsu and chakra control after school. Most of my students were the over achievers or the ones who were doing poorly in class. Personally, I think everyone should participate, but that wasn't up to me.

"You're still not getting put back onto active duty," she said flatly.

"Why! I'm fine."

"Because we don't know why your body stopped hurting itself. When was the last time you used your ability?" I hadn't used my ability for two months, but what did that have to do with anything? I grabbed an empty beaker and gave it a little bit of chakra. Let me rephrase that, I tried to give it a little bit of chakra.

"Well?"

"I'm trying."

"What do you man, trying?"

With a huff I sat the beaker back on the table. "I couldn't break that." Tsunade's face fell south. She looked worried and angry, but something else crossed her face. "What?" She held up a hand to shush me. She looked like she was deep in thought when an amused smirk crossed her face.

"Break this table." She kicked off the floor and the wheels of her chair rolled her to my side. I put my hand on the desk, but nothing happened. Now I was starting to get worried. "How long has this been going on?"

"I don't know. I haven't needed to use my ability for a while." I was going to say something else, but a wave of nausea flowed through my entire body. I ran to the closest trashcan and regurgitated everything I had eaten that day. I hadn't told anybody about me throwing up. Grandma never said anything about throwing up being a symptom, so I kept it to myself. It was probably just a bug anyway.

"Are you sick?"

_Damnit. I've been caught._

"Yes." Another wave of nausea hit me, making me throw up again.

After a few more upchucks Tsunade-sensei opened the door to the lab. "Come with me. I want to see something."

"It's just a bug, sensei. I'll be fine."

"That's not what I'm worried about. You're never sick." She motioned for me to move out the door, so I did. There's no reason to make her angry and at the minute I didn't feel like being a smartass. I followed her down the hall, past a few corners, and into a room. "Lay on the bed."

I felt like I was going to be sick again, so I did as I was told. My head fell back on the uncomfortable cushion of the bed as I closed my eyes. "I'm going to give you a check up and take some blood." I simply nodded my head. I'll do whatever she wants as long as she lets me go back to work. The first thing she did was take a sample of my blood. I'm sure she has hundreds of vials of it by now, so I don't know why she took it. Probably because she likes to prick people with needles. "There's one more thing I want to try. It's probably nothing, but there's no harm in checking."

"Do as you wish." I could hear her move something on whiles in my direction. I didn't care enough to open my eyes and see what it was. She lifted my shirt and put some sort of cold, slimy gunk on my stomach. Next, she pressed on it with…something. I still didn't care enough to see what she was doing. "Do I have a worm or something?"

She chuckled before moving that thing on my stomach again. "Start picking out names."

"Really? I have a worm," I asked as I started rubbing my eyes. I hadn't been sleeping well and I felt like I needed a nap, but on top of my lack of sleep I'm now playing host to a parasite. Fantastic.

"Look." I slowly opened my eyes and leaned towards her. Sensei turned the screen in my direction so I could see it. I could hardly see anything on the black and white screen, but she assured me there was something there by pointing out a little odd looking object. "Personally, I wouldn't mind if you named it after me."

I continued to stair at the screen until two and two finally made four. That thing on the screen wasn't a worm. "Is that a baby?" Sensei simply nodded her head. "I'm pregnant," I whispered. "What the…" Everything in my world froze. There was only me and the screen.

"You ok?" She gave me a concerned, but amused look. "Don't pass out. That's the last thing I need."

"I'm…I did NOT see this coming." I took a long, deep breath to steady my nerves. "I never thought about having kids." Without thinking, I rubbed my stomach. "You should thank this little girl. She just gave you a few more months to work on the cure." Instantly, she shot me a heated glare. "Sorry." For a moment, I forgot who I was talking to. Only Anko and I joked about my impending doom.

"What makes you think it's a girl? It's too early to tell."

"Have you seen my family? We mainly punch out girls. I'll be surprised if it's a boy."

Sensei rolled her eyes at me then turned to put the machine away. "Eat right and don't overstress your body. I can give you-"

I shot forward and gave my crazy, easily angered sensei a tight hug. "You're going to be a grandma!"

Although I couldn't see her face, I could tell she was smiling. "And you're going to be a mom," she said as she pulled me away from her.

"Yes I am," I said with a painfully wide grin. I bounced off of the table and started for the door. "I'm going to tell mom. See ya!"

I could hear her yell after me, but I couldn't stop. Kakashi wasn't expected back for a few days, but there were plenty of other people I could tell. I just hoped everyone saw the good in this situation instead of the bad.

When I made it to mom's house, everyone was in the back yard having a barbeque. "Hi, sweetie," mom said as I bounced over to her. "You look happy." All of the adults were sitting on lawn chairs watching the kids play.

"And I have a right to be, Grams."

"Hey now, I'm not that old." I sat down on the ground next to her since there were no more seats.

"I said it for a reason."

A swift swat to the back of my head made me jerk forward slightly. "Don't be a brat."

I rolled my eyes before becoming serious. "Beside making fun you your old age, why else would I call you Grams?"

I could tell she was in thought as the second ticked by. When she finally realized what was going on I busted out in a field of hysterics. "ARE YOU PREGNANT!"

All of the adults around us stopped talking and look at me. "Yes."

"Oh my God!" She shot up from her chair, making me fall back a bit. "Don't lie about things like that."

"I'm not. I just found out." I stood up slowly as I smiled at her and the others. "Surprise."

All of the adults congratulated me as the children tried to figure out what was going on. Mom and Obaa-san were crying happy tears while Chiasa kept laughing. "What happened to the girl who said she was never having kids?"

"She got knocked up by her husband," I said with a wink.

"Does Kakashi know?"

"No. He's on a mission."

After getting a plate of food and finding a place to sit, everyone started asking me questions. How was I feeling? Would the baby be in danger from my ability? What will happen to me? "According to Grandma, neither the baby or I will be in any pain. Just a typical pregnancy." Mom and Obaa-san seemed relieved, but I was about to break their bubble. "But, supposedly my body will store up all the chakra and pain I would be in for the next few months and will let loose after I give birth."

Mom's face instantly filled with concern. "What does that mean?"

I took a deep breath to steady myself for the storm of tears I know that will be coming my way. "My body is basically going to give out and my ability is going to attack me. Chances are, I'm going to die." Everyone fell silent at my words. Shock, fear, anger, and sadness were evident to everyone who was old enough to understand what was going on. "But look on the bright side. A new life is coming, so it's kind of an even trade."

"No it's not, Soi. How could you think so little of your life?"

"I'm not. I have lived for 28 years. I've had a long, happy life. I've done a lot of things and met a lot of amazing people. If I have to die in order to give someone else a chance at life, I'm good with that."

Mom's head fell as she started to cry, so Chiasa took the initiative to talk. "But you shouldn't have to die. What about the cure?"

"Tsunade is working on it, but there's no set time when it will be ready." The rest of the day was full of mixed emotions. There were tears of joy and sorrow along with sympathetic glances, but at the end of the day everyone was happy and ready to welcome a new family member.

Two days later I was practically buzzing with excitement. I made my family promises not to tell anyone so word wouldn't spread. I wanted Kakashi to hear the good news from me, not accidentally hearing it from a stranger. I was reading a book on the couch when he finally came home. I tried to hide my excitement and sound nonchalant, but I failed. "Hey. How was the mission?"

"Uneventful." Uneventful meaning that he didn't find them. Even though he never told me about his missions, I knew what he was doing. He was looking for Kouki.

I continued to read, or tried to read, as he came to sit next to me. "What do you want for Father's day?"

"Why would I need anything for Father's day?"

"Just asking. Dumpling can't make you anything yet, so I was going to act as its stand in."

The expression on his face almost made me burst into a fit of laughter. He was so confused. "Who is Dumpling?"

"That's what I'm calling it until we know if it's a boy or girl."

"…what?"

"But I'm betting it's a girl. My family usually has girls." He remained silent for a moment until the cogs in his head finally meshed together. My book was ripped from my hands, which made me turn to him with fake annoyance. "I was reading that."

"Are you pregnant?" His breathing was uneven and his voice was unsteady. I tried to play it off like nothing, but I couldn't stop my smile from coming.

"Yes." His one visible eye lowered to my stomach as he slowly brought up a hand. "It's ok," I said as I grabbed his hand and place it on my stomach. "See? You're going to have to wait a bit for it to move, but she's in there."

"She?"

"I told you. There is a high chance it's going to be a girl."

"It's a 50/50 chance."

"It's a girl."

He finally smiled as he slowly rubbed my stomach. Although he was happy, I could see the small hint of sadness in his eye. He already knew the negative outcome that would come from our baby's birth, but his joy outnumbered his sadness. He pulled down his mask with his free hand before pressing his lips against mine. "Thank you," he whispered in between kisses as he continued to rub my stomach. He pushed me down so the upper part of my body rested on the armrest and the rest of me was stretched out. He adjusted himself so that he was curled up on the couch and his head rested on my stomach.

My fingers racked through his hair as I chuckled at him. "You're not going to hear anything."

"Being close to him is all that matters."

"Him?"

"It's going to be a boy."

_Whatever._


	25. Taken 2

AN: I'm going to upload this now because my Monday is going to be a a whole lot of crazy and I don't want to run the chance of not posting it.

"Spoken" _Thought/Flashback/Dream_ **Writing **

Chapter 24: Taken 2

Soi's POV  
>My Grandmother in Iwa and I have been sending messages back and forth ever since I left. She kept me up to date on my aunt and I told her about my pregnancy. Needless to say she was shocked when I told her the news, but was also thrilled. This would be her first great-grandchild and she couldn't wait.<p>

Shikamaru and the others were also happy. Ino squealed with joy while Chouji had the world's largest grin. Shikamaru offered me a heart felt congratulations and said he wanted to Dumpling's sensei in the future, but as I recall he said the same thing about Kurenai's baby. Is he trying to monopolize his sensei's children?

Close to two months after I told Kakashi about our little surprise, I received another one. My Aunt Ai gave birth to a little boy. Grandma sent me a picture of the cute little thing, but I knew what was also going on. Ai must have died in the process.

"We only have to be there for a day or two and then we can come home." Kakashi and I were packing to go to Iwa for my aunt's funeral. It was about a three-day trip and with some luck we'd get there just in time.

"We can stay as long as you need to."

"Then we wont be long. I want to see Grandma and a few of the others and that's all. There's no reason to stay long."

"They're your family, Soi. Don't treat them like they're not."

"Three of them are my family. I'd do anything for those three, but the rest hate me. I stopped trying to please those people long ago." I sat on the bed and rubbed my stomach. So far the only downfall to be pregnant was that I couldn't wear shorts anymore. Well, I could but I'd look horrible.

A few weeks after I told Kakashi about Dumpling, we picked a new place to live. We decided on a large apartment that would fit the three of us, plus room for Kakashi's dogs and my smaller cats to roam around. It was hard to find, but we got a great deal. The landlady is the daughter of the older man we saved during the explosion and she gave us a great discount. We told her that she didn't have to, but she wouldn't take no for an answer.

"Either way, we'll stay as long as we're needed."

The trip to Iwa took exactly three days, three hellish days. My feet were killing me by the end of it. Ai's funeral wasn't until tomorrow, which gave Kakashi and I plenty of time to unpack at our hotel. Grandma said we could stay with her, but I didn't want to be near the rest of the family. I didn't want to start a confrontation with any of them in my current condition. Actually, Kakashi wouldn't want me to start a confrontation. I'm ready to argue with those pigheaded morons any day.

Like always, the sky was foggy and threatened to pour. I was hoping for some rain, just to lift my mood, but then it would make the funeral even more depressing for the others. I was surprised to find that Kakashi and I had a place at the front of the funeral line. There were several rows of chairs and our seats were right next to Grandma. When we arrived, there were several people there already and they all started making a commotion when they saw me. I heard a few mutter that they were surprised that I would allow myself to get pregnant, whatever that meant, but the one that really got me was the one they said he couldn't wait for my due date. That I was going to get what was coming to me after the baby was born. As pissed as I was to hear that, I had to physically restrain Kakashi from finding whoever it was that spoke. "If anyone is going to kill one of them, it's going to be," I muttered under my breath.

"Soi, sweetie. Come here," I heard my Grandmother call. I'm sure she only noticed where we were because of Kakashi's hair. We were both dressed in black, but you could spot Kakashi's silver locks a mile away. When we finally reached her, I noticed that she was holding a baby in her arms. I instantly knew whom he belonged to. He looked exactly like her. Grandma gave me a one armed hug before eyeing me up and down. "You look beautiful." Beautiful is defiantly not something you want to be called a funeral. It's just weird.

"Thank you. Who might this be?"

"This is little Adatta, after your dad." A mixture of happiness and sadness washed over me. Ai and my dad were always close. He often said she was his favorite sister since she was the least self-centered.

"I'm being rude. This is my husband. Kakashi, this is my Grandma."

"Naomi," she corrected as they shook hands.

As Kakashi withdrew his hand, his other one wrapped around my waist. "I'm sorry we had to meet on such circumstances."

Grandma gave him a sad smile before ushering us to sit down. "Yes, but I'm still happy we got to meet." My other aunts, Satsuki and Fumiko, made their way over to us. I introduced them to Kakashi, but they were more interested in the lump at my midsection. Like everyone else who cared about me, they were both happy and concerned at my situation. I'm sure Grandma told them that I started having problems months ago, but they didn't say anything about it.

When the funeral started, Kakashi and I seemed to be the only two without tears. Not to say that I wasn't sad, I was heartbroken, but I wasn't as broken up as I would be if Chiasa had died. I loved Ai, she was always kind to me, but I rarely saw her. Like the rest of this side of my family, they never made any effort to see me. When I was younger, dad use to bring me here to spend time with them even though he hated these people, but none of them did the same.

There was a gathering of friends and family at Grandma's house after the funeral. Grandma had been holding Adatta the entire time, but once the house started flooding with people she handed him to me. "What do you want me to do with him? Put him to bed?"

"No, but if they see you holding him, then maybe they'll start warming up to you."

"Grandma, you know I don't care what these people think of me."

"I know, sweetie, but I would love it if the family could get to know you. Besides, think of it as practice."

And so, we were left with a baby. Once Grandma was out of sight I handed the boy to Kakashi. Even though he took the child he gave me a confused look. "Think of it as practice. I've had my share." And dear Kami did I have my share. After having five younger cousins and a little brother, I'm a goddess when it comes to babies. Kakashi was holding Adatta slightly out in front of him like a doll. "Here," I said as I maneuvered his arms into the proper position. "Support his head, like that. Keep him close to your chest."

"What if he starts crying?"

"Rock him lightly and shush him."

"Shush him?"

"In a soothing voice. Kinda like a whisper." The two of us stood in the corner, our attention fully on the little boy. I was very surprised with Kakashi and how well he was doing with Adatta. "We should start thinking of names. I'll pick the boy name and you pick the girl name."

"Why do I have to pick the girl name?"

"Because I already know it's going to be a girl, so I should at least give you the honor of naming her."

"What's your idea for a boy?"

"Kazuki," I blurted out without a second thought.

"Nice hesitation," he joked.

"I wanted something that started with a K and sounded good with Hatake."

"Suya."

"Nice hesitation."

"I wanted something that started with an S and sounded good with Hatake."

"Nice."

"Working on baby number two," an unidentified man said as he approached us.

"Um, Adatta isn't ours," I said as I racked my brain as I tried to identify him.

"I know that," he rolled out in a sarcastic droll before making a grab for the baby. Kakashi hugged the boy closer to his chest as I stepped in between them. "He's my nephew. Give him to me." Woo, this guy had an attitude. I'm not sure what pissed him off more. The fact that I was here, that Kakashi was holding his nephew, or that I refused to give him the baby.

"On the father's side, I presume. I didn't catch your name."

"I didn't give it."

He made another grab for the baby, but he didn't make it. I grabbed his arm and twisted it behind his back. I pulled him back against me and wrapped my free hand around his throat. Just as an added bonus I dug my nails into his skin. "Walk away calmly and don't come back over here," I whispered into his ear before releasing him. He gave me a cold, hard look before disappearing into the sea of black cloths.

"Good girl," another man said as he slowly made his way towards us. He was tall, with dark red hair and orange hair. And like most of the people in the room, his skin was the same as mine. A dead give away that he was part of the family. "Pregnant and still kicking ass. That's my type of lady."

"Dingin?"

"Ah, you remember me. That good considering our last meeting did not end so well."

"Yeah, it was…um." For some reason seeing him really confused me. He was one of the few people that didn't have a problem with my existence. Without thinking I gave him a hug, which he eagerly returned. "Hi. It's good to see you. This is my husband, Kakashi," I said as I pointed over my shoulder. "Kakashi, this is Dingin. My dad's…"

"Cousin," he finished with a charming smile. "Don't worry. The family is big. I don't expect you to keep all of us in line. It's good to see you again."

"Yeah, you too."

His kind gaze looked over my shoulder and landed on Kakashi. "Practice?"

"Practice."

Dingin smirked before returning his gaze to me. "Don't let these guys get the better of you. They're all just jealous that your dad favored you over them."

"He didn't favor anyone. I'm sure he was working on the cure for all of us."

"So, you know?"

My face twisted in annoyance as I thought about how I was told about dad's work and the family's misfortune. "Yeah. After a long and painful process of stupidity and secrets."

He laughed at my expression as he itched the back of his head. "Well, it's good you know why you're hated. A lot of the people in this house are petty and don't understand. Just ignore them."

"I've been doing that all my life."

"Then keep it up."

I returned his energetic smile as I noticed the small wedding band on his left hand. "Where's your wife?"

"On a mission, but I know she would like to be here. Well, wouldn't like to. She wouldn't have wanted Ai to die, but-"

"I get it. You don't have to defend your actions to me."

"Good, good. Are the two of you staying of tea after the guests leave?"

"Um…"

"Yes," I heard a familiar voice answer from behind me.

"I guess we are."

A bright, toothy smile crossed Dingin's face. "That gives us plenty of time to chat. Plus, it's supposed to storm soon and it's better if you don't walk in the rain. Iwagakure storms are brutal."

"Yes," I said a little too enthusiastically, like always. Dingin gave me a confused grin as a reply to my reaction. "I like storms."

"You're an ass kicking pregnant woman who likes storms? Bravo. Anyway, I'm going to say hello to a few people, but I'll see you later."

"Sure thing." Dingin waved a quick goodbye to us before disappearing. For the remainder of the night, Kakashi and I stood around talking about nothing important. We received a few annoyed glances, but brushed them off with ease.

After all the guests left the only people that remained were Dingin, Adatta, Grandma, Kakashi and I. Grandma immediately put the little one to bed before joining the rest of us in the kitchen. While Grandma made us tea the three of us sitting at the table talked about my pregnancy, of course. "How far along are you," Dingin questioned as he eyed my stomach.

"About five months."

"Planned?"

"No," Kakashi and I said in unison. "But we're happy about our little surprise," I added.

"As you should be," Grandma chimed in. She brought over a try of tall glasses filled with tea. I was s lightly surprised that she didn't bring over traditional teacups. Naomi was nothing if not traditional.

"What happened to your tea set?"

She handed us each a glass of tea before sitting between Dingin and I. "One of the twins broke it."

"Ouch."

"Yes," she said in a slightly annoyed tone before taking a sip of her tea. "On a different topic, have the two of you picked out a name?"

"Kazuki and Suya," my love said from side.

"Oh, those are cute." She rubbed my belly with a bright smile. "Boy or girl?"

"We don't know. We want it to be a surprise, but I think it's going to be a girl."

Grandma looked over at Kakashi and smiled. "What do you want it to be?"

"I don't care, so long as it's healthy." Even though Dingin and Grandma's faces turned sad, I couldn't help but smile.

"No sad faces, people. A baby is a good thing." I took a large gulp of my tea, which made Grandma's eyes practically bulge out of her head. "Sorry. I like tea."

"I can see that." She snatched the glass out of my hand and went to refill it.

The next few hours was filled with chit-chat about nothing in particular. As much as I wanted to continue talking to Grandma and Dingin, I was starting to get sleepy. My yawned made that perfectly clear. "Tired," Grandma questioned.

"A little."

"Where are you guys staying?"

"At some place on the other side of the village."

"Why don't you stay here? There's plenty of room."

I was about to decline her offer, but Kakashi cut me off. "Good idea." He stood up quickly before kissing me on the head. "I'll go get our bags."

"Kakashi-"

"Don't worry about it. You're tired. Go to bed. I'll be back soon," and without another word he was out the door.

"I guess we're staying." I rubbed my forehead as I willed my eyes to go back to normal. Not long after Kakashi left, I started to feel a little strange. Things started to get a little blurry and I was becoming very tired. Grandma took all the glasses and went to rinse them out. "I think I'm going to go to bed. I don't feel very well. Goodnight guys."

"Goodnight," they both said. I noticed that neither of them looked at me when they replied, but I didn't say anything. As I walked down the hall towards the wing that had all the guest rooms, I started looking at the pictures on the wall. There were many of smiling children, which in turn made me smile. There were ones of dad with his siblings and a few of Grandma with Tadashi, but the one that really caught my eye made me stop dead in my tracks. I had to concentrate very hard to make sure I was seeing correctly. Sadly, I was.

Dingin was smiling in a beautiful black suite as he looked lovingly at the woman before him. The woman he was holding in his arms was wearing a beautiful wedding dress that complimented her figure. The part that scared me was that the woman in the photo had blue hair and blue eyes. "Grandma," I called as I tried to make my way back to the kitchen. My balance was off and the world seemed to spin. Something was definitely wrong with me. "Grandma." When I finally reached the kitchen I was completely out of it. I noticed Grandma was sitting in a chair, crying, while Dingin and another man stood beside her. "G-grandma."

My sense of balance completely failed as I started towards the ground. I was expecting to feel the cold wood floors against my body, but the unknown figure caught me in mid-fall. "Careful," he said as his grip tightened around me. The second he spoke my body froze. I looked up as best as I could to catch a glimpse of the person who caught me. Even though my world was distorted and blurry, I'd know those violet eyes anywhere.

Kakashi's POV  
>I'm sure Soi wasn't happy with me leaving her there, but I figured that it would give her enough time to bond with her family. Naomi and Dingin seemed to be one of the few kind people in her screwed up family and I want her to actually get to know them. She'll thank me in the long run.<p>

When I got back to the house the first thing I noticed was the sound of crying. I immediately assumed that Naomi was crying over Soi's condition and left it at that. I dropped the bags by the front door before making my way to the kitchen. "What's wrong, Naomi?" I looked around quickly and noticed Soi wasn't in sight. "Did Soi go to bed?" My reply was more tears. Naomi sat at the kitchen table with her head in her hands. I wasn't close enough to her to know how to comfort her properly, but I felt bad. "Naomi, what can I do?"

"I d-did a bad t-thing," she said between tears.

I sat in the chair next to her and leaned forward slightly. "What did you do?"

"I let them take her."

"Take who?"

"S-soi."

The moment Soi's name left her lips I bolted through the house. There was no reply when I called out for Soi, which only fuelled my panic. When I walked down a long hall filled with pictures, one in particular caught my eye. Letsu and Dingin were smiling happy at a wedding, their wedding.

Naomi was still crying by the time I made it back to the kitchen. "Where is she? Where did he take her?"

"I don't k-know where they took h-her, but they said they'd take good c-care of her."

"Dingin and Letsu?"

She shook her head violently before finally looking up at me. "Dingin and Kouki."

I don't remember leaving the kitchen or making my way to Iwa's main gate. The sound of thunder echoed through the trees. Before the storm came my way I summoned all my dogs. After a brief explanation of what was going on, they took off towards the South. I followed close behind, but all to soon the rain washed over us. Pakkun sniffed the ground frantically before turning to me. "Boss-"

That tone, that annoyed, frustrated, and depressed tone said everything. "Find her."

"We can't. The rain is washing the trail away."

This wasn't happening. It couldn't be happening. We were together half an hour ago. "Pakkun, we have to find her." I know he could hear the quiver in my by voice, I did. I don't remember that last time my voice ever shook. "We have to find her."

"Boss, she's gone."


	26. Hope

AN: And don't start thinking that I'm going to be updating on Sundays (even thought this is the second week in a row). I'll still be uploading on Mondays, just not tomorrow. My weeks have been getting really busy and I want to make sure that I upload the chapters. Hmmm, maybe I should start uploading on Sundays….

Anyway, sorry. This is going to be a short chapter.

"Spoken" _Thought/Flashback/Dream_ **Writing **

Chapter 25: Hope

The silence that filled that Hatake home threatened to send Kakashi over the edge. Soi had been missing for two excruciatingly long months. Tsunade had sent out countless search parties, as did Iwagakure. The Tsuchikage was very upset that his first search party never returned and decided to give his full support to Konoha.

For the past two months everyone who knew Soi was in a state of disarray. Gina found it difficult to stay at home and made up excuses not to stay there. She had bought so much baby cloths and toys, but they all sat in her closet. At night, she could swear that they called out for her. Telling her that they needed to be given to a child.

Shikamaru and his team trained harder than they ever had before. They never spoke about their missing sensei, but they each strived for a common goal. They were to be ready at any time. To make sure they were on the top of their game when the time came for them to go after Soi.

Anko, Guy, and the others were among the first to volunteer for the search parties. No inch of the Fire Country was left unsearched. They spent hours combing the country, looking for the slightest hint to where they friend could be.

Tsunade was, well, not Tsunade. She often stared off into the distance and her thoughts were never where they were supposed to be. If she wasn't in her office barking orders, she was in the research lab. There were days when she refused to go to sleep and continued working around the clock. At one point Sakura had to spike her drink in order for her to get some sleep.

But above all the pain and grief, the person who was struck the most was the person who had the most to lose. For two months, Kakashi hardly said a word. He trained to the point where his body could not hold up to the torture he was submitting himself to. Sleep seemed so foreign to him. If he wasn't training or out looking for her, he was sitting in the green empty room in his apartment.

The pale green walls, the smiling stuffed animals, and the empty crib was the only place Kakashi could go to think, but it was also the only place that tortured him the most. Soi would be seven months along by now and his constant lack of knowing how she was sickened him. Has she seen a doctor? Was she healthy? Was the baby healthy? So many questions filled his mind that the constant worry threatened his sanity.

Several weeks later on one of the rare rainy days that graced Konoha, Kakashi and the other's hit an all time low. If all had gone as planned and Soi was still alive, today was the day that Kakashi was to become a father. Today was the day he was supposed to hold his new born in his arms for the first time. Today was also the day that the love of his life was supposed to die. No matter what way he looked at it, today was a horrible day. His wife and child were missing and there was no way he could know if he was actually a father or not. All he had was hope and with that hope came more sadness. Even if his child was alive, the chances of seeing him or her were slim to none. And no matter what, his wife was dead. There was a brief period that he could have sworn that he heard her voice. He could hear her crying out for him, callinghim to her.

On the other side of the village, Gina was a spastic mess. From the moment she woke up, she couldn't stop crying and no amount of comfort could mend her broken heart. Her daughter and grandchild were not with her and, for all she knew, dead. She had prayed numerous times to a god she was quickly losing faith in to bring them back, but her prayers went unheard.

Shikamaru and Chouji spent the day training. Both were far past being upset, but couldn't bring themselves to say how they felt. On the other hand, Ino was locked away in her room, cursing the world for its cruelty. The blond kunoichi almost dehydrated herself from crying so much.

As for Tsunade…Tsunade was not to be disturbed. It was extremely rare for Tsunade not to show up for work, but no one question her absence. She sat in her bedroom drinking her sorrows away. Or she tried to at least. No matter how much she drank, her mind kept getting the best of her. Thoughts of Soi and the baby haunted her with every sip she took.

The next day Kakashi showed up to her office bright and early. "What do you want?" Her voice was cold and angry, something that everyone had become accustomed to during the past few months.

"We need to keep looking for her."

"Kakashi-"

"There has to be more that we can do."

"Hatake-"

"If the baby already came-"

"Shut up!" The powerful blond slammed her first against the office desk in front of her, making it split in two. Instantly, four ANBU members appeared out of thin air, ready to protect the Hokage or Kakashi, or whoever needed it most. Two stood behind Kakashi and the other two stood at Tsunade's side. "Get out," she ordered.

"Hokage-sama-"

Tsunade stood up, grabbed her chair, and threw it across the room. The chair, which just barely missed Kakashi and the ANBU member behind him who dared to speak up, made a massive dent in the wall before sliding to the floor. "I said get out!" As quickly as they appeared, the ANBU members vanished. The blond's hard starerested on the man in front of her. "I have sent out search parties, Iwakagure sent out search parties, and the Suna has offered us full support whenever we need their help. I've asked the two remaining Great Shinobi Villages to look out for Soi and Kouki, but so far they have nothing. I've even gone so far to ask our enemy countries for help. What else can I do, Hatake! If you have any suggestions, feel free to speak up."

Her outburst didn't strike Kakashi as strange or out of character. Instead, he expected it. He had been pressing her constantly about finding Soi and she held up her end well. She did everything she could to find the girl she looked at as her daughter and when she wasn't trying to find the girl, she was working on the cure.

"We have to keep looking."

"Does it look like I've given up? I know what yesterday was." The two powerful shinobi fell silent. They knew what little chance they had of finding the baby or that Soi would still be alive. "I don't know how much longer I can keep this up, Hatake. We can't kid ourselves forever."

"We can't give up hope. She wouldn't quit on us." The blond didn't reply. Instead, she walked to the window and looked out over her village. She was in charge of protecting everyone within the walls that protected Konoha from the outside world. But she was also in charge of all of it citizens, even the ones who are not in it. Soi was part of the second group.

Tsunade never gave up, especially when she had a reason to hope. A week after the supposed birth of her so-called grandchild, she received an unexpected letter. The handwriting was hurried and barely legible, but the rushed words brought a joyful tear to her eye.

**Please send medical help to Mirukuwa village in the Tea Country. A Leaf shinobi is in dire need of medical care.**

Although it could be a number of shinobi who were currently on missions in the Tea Country, only one person that sprung to mind. But what gave it away was the second set of handwriting at the bottom of the page. Tsunade could recognize the horrible handwriting anywhere.

**It's a boy.**

AN: Yes, the ending is a bit confusing, but there is a method to my madness.**  
><strong>


	27. Captivity

"Spoken" _Thought/Flashback/Dream_ **Writing **

Chapter 26: Captivity

(During Chapter 25)

It took years of planning and a lot of effort, but Kouki and Ichirou finally got their wish. Soi was with them and there were no signs of her leaving. Ichirou was a little upset the Kouki was the one who was allowed to pick her up from Iwa, but his anger subsided when he saw the sleeping woman in his best friends arms.

"She's huge," Ichirou noted as he watched Kouki gently place her on a soft bed.

"She's pregnant. She's supposed to be huge."

"I'm so excited!" The hyperactive blond jumped on the bed next to the sleeping girl and smiled down at her. "Think of what we can teach it. It's going to be a great shinobi. It will have Soi's kekkei genkai and I'll teach it genjutsu. This is going to be so much fun!"

Kouki smiled at his energetic friend and also thought about the future. He finally had the woman he loved at his side and what was even better is that she brought a child with her. He never thought about being a parent before, but if it was with her, then he knew he could take on any challenge.

"We should let her rest." Kouki pulled the reluctant blond away from the bed and out of the room.

"But I want to stay with her."

"We'll come back when she's awake." Ever so gently as to not wake up his love, Kouki closed the giant metal door and locked it from the outside. After a long backwards glance the two shinobi started down the stone hallway.

"When do you think she's going to be awake? I can't wait to talk to her."

"Soon, I hope." The excitement levels between Kouki and Ichirou were astonishing. Ichirou was basically hopping in place with thoughts of Soi running through his head. He was so excited to have his big sister back that he could hardly contain his joy. On the other hand, Kouki was trying to suppress his joy. He knew that Soi needed time for the sleeping drug to wear off and to rest, but the only thing he wanted was to be by her side. Now that she was finally at his side, he had no intention of ever letting her go.

The cheerful duo eventually ended up in the medical and research area. As they were about to enter the research labs the sound of coughing and vomiting hit their ears. They made a detour to one of the medical rooms to see what was going one. What they saw when they entered the room didn't take them by surprise or worry them. They were too happy to be brought down by what was in front of them.

Dingin was curled over a trashcan on the floor. Letsu was sitting next to him, rubbing his back, with tears in her eyes. The blue-eyed woman glared at the two intrudes with pure disgust. "Why haven't they figured out a cure yet!"

Ichirou and Kouki let out sighs of frustration. Letsu never gave them a break about the cure. "They're working on it."

"Make them work harder." Another round of vomiting erupted from Dingin. "He's been throwing up blood for a week. He doesn't have much time left."

"If we push them too hard, they might make a mistake and set us back even more."

"Then make sure they don't make a mistake, but make them work harder."

Dingin slowly place a pale, shaky hand on his wife's knee. "Letsu, we can't push them too hard."

Letsu rested her head on her husbands shoulder as more tears fell from her eyes. "I can't lose you," she whispered. "Please hang on."

"For you, anything." He gave his wife the best smile he could before a violent tremor shook his entire body.

Ichirou pushed Kouki out of the room and towards the labs. "We'll leave the two of you alone." Once the door closed behind them, the Yamanaka let out a heavy sigh. "She can be so bossy."

Kouki nodded in agreement before entering the research room. His eyes racked over the small group of scientists and doctors who had been working around the clock to work on Soi's cure. "Wanabi, come here for a moment."

At the sound of his name a fifty year old man snapped his head in the direction of Kouki's voice. Wanabi had bright green eyes and short gray hair. His back was slightly hunched over from working day and night, but the oddest part of his features was that he looked much older than really was. Like all the other men and women who were captured by Kouki's group, Wanabi has been locked in the underground bunker for months. It had been so long since he was outside that he doesn't even know what day it was.

"I need you to look after someone for me."

"But sir, what about the cure?"

"I'll put someone else in charge." Kouki wrapped an arm around Wanabi's shoulder and led him out of the room. All of the other doctors and scientists watched in confusion as the older man was escorted out of the room. "The person I want you to take care of is very precious to me, so you need to be gentle with her."

"A-alright."

"No need to be nervous. You'll like her, just try not to get on her bad side."

"Are we talking about Letsu?"

"No. Someone more important. She's sleeping right now, but I expect you to check in on her in a few hours." Kouki gave a copy of the key to Soi's room and handed it to Wanabi. "Make sure she stays in her room. She'll be a little unhappy for the first few days."

"What is her medical history?"

"She's pregnant. That's all you need to know for now."

"Sir, that's not very helpful."

"She's always been healthy, if that helps." Wanabi gave his captor an exasperated look before heading towards the housing area where he and the other captor lived. Kouki smirked at the older mans confusion. He grabbed the collar on Wanabi's lab jacket and began pulling him to the area were he and the other shinobi's stayed. "She's staying with the rest of us. I'll make sure to have your things moved to our wing." When they reached the giant door of the room that contained Soi, Kouki lightly patted the old man on the back. "Have fun."

Wanabi looked upon the giant metal door with worry as Kouki walked back to Dingin and Letsu. He knew the name, but had yet to be able to put a face to it. If the girl was anything like Letsu, then he had a problem on his hand. Kami knows that he has had many problems with the crazy blue haired woman.

The metal door screeched open with a light push as Wanabi made his way into the well-lit room. Still slightly frightened by the unknown woman in front of him, Wanabi slowly made his way to her bedside. He looked her up and down before running a shaky hand through his hair. "Where to start?"

Before the man had time to think he found himself face down on the bed. Soi was sitting on his back, pinning his hands behind him with one hand. Even though she had the man right where she wanted him, she knew she couldn't hold him for long. She could feel her hands shaking and her eyelids still felt heavy. "Where am I?"

"I-I don't know w-where we are," the panicked doctor joked out, his voice shaking with every word. He internally cursed at his predicament. Now he had to watch over this crazy woman and make sure she didn't die. This wasn't going to be easy. "I'm Dr. Wanabi. Kouki told me to watch over you." He could feel Soi's hand loosen their grip. "Please ma'am. The drugs in your system are probably still in affect. Lay down before you hurt yourself."

After a few moment of consideration, Soi did as the man asked. She sat next to him and watched as he quickly sat up. "I'm sorry if I hurt you." One of her weak, shaky hands rubbed her forehead as she wished her current headache away.

"It's no problem, ma'am."

"Call me Soi."

"Yes ma'am, I mean Soi."

Soi could tell that the older man beside her was afraid. Weather he was afraid of her or Kouki, she didn't know. "How do you not know where we are?"

Wanabi ran a wrinkled hand through his hair and exhaled a long breath. "Kouki had Letsu enchant many of us out of our village. I was a medical doctor in my home town."

"Where are you from?"

"Iwagakure along with the other doctors and scientists that they kidnapped." Things slowly began to make sense to the explosive kunoichi. Of course Kouki and Ichirou needed scientist to make the cure, but why wouldn't Iwagakure have told her that a group of scientist had gone missing?

"How long have you been here?"

"Months, I guess. I don't remember the last time I was outside."

The feeling of pity and self-hatred instantly hit Soi like a ton of bricks. "Well, you don't have to be afraid of me. I'll take care of you," she said with a half hearted smile.

Wanabi let out a shaky breath, but gave the young woman a smile in return. "I'm the one who is supposed to take of you."

"Then lets take care of each other." Wanabi smiled at the young woman beside him as he finally relaxed. His old and talented hands slowly made their way to the woman's stomach. He pressed in different areas on her enlarged stomach while asking her questions about her pregnancy and her medical history. "You said I had drugs in my system. What kind? Will they hurt the baby?"

"I wont know until I do some blood work, but I don't believe Kouki would give you anything that could hurt the baby." Soi rolled her eyes at the older mans lack of knowledge. He was right to be afraid of Kouki, but he doesn't know how far the brutal ex-Leaf shinobi would go.

"He would if I pushed him far enough." Wanabi's eyes flickered to Soi's distant ones at her words.

"Why would he hurt a baby?"

"Because it's my husband's."

"What difference does that make?"

"Kouki never liked Kakashi. He put on a good show, but he always hated him." An annoyed smirk crossed the woman's face as she thought back to all the heated arguments between her friend and her lover. "He even went so far as to try and blow Kakashi up on our wedding night." All of the color drained from Wanabi's face. Kouki had threatened him and the other scientist countless times, but never went through with it. Probably because the scientist did as they were told, but now Wanabi has some evidence on just how far Kouki will go.

"I need to do some other tests, but we can't do them here. I'll go get Kouki and have him move you to the medical wing."

"Why can't I go with you? I'm not staying here."

"Please, Miss, just stay here. I don't want him to get angry with me." Soi could see to fear in her doctor's eyes as his body slightly shook.

The last thing Soi wanted to do was make Wanabi's life any more complex, especially under such circumstances. "Fine." Wanabi bowed his head before scurrying out the door.

Soilaid back on her bed, the sound of the metal lock clinking shut made her flinch. A long, steady breath escaped her as she tried to remain calm. Her worst fear had come true, she was in a cage. Ever since she was little, her biggest fear was being trapped in a cage and not being able to do anything. However, now her once biggest fear has taken a back seat to a new one. Her baby is in danger.

Her hands rubbed slow circles on her belly in an attempt to sooth her baby and her mind. "Don't worry, Dumpling. I wont let anything happen to you." As the minutes ticked by thoughts of Konoha began to fill the kunoichi's mind. The bright sun was heating her skin as a slight breeze tousled her long hair. The familiar chatter of her friends and family filled her ears as Kakashi's strong arms held her close. His intoxicating aroma filled her up, making her body melt into his. "I miss you."

The familiar clinking sound brought Soi out of her peaceful thoughts. She shot up as quickly as she could, but instantly regretted it. The drugs still had not left her system, which made her head spin. As two figures walked into the room, the woman's body instantly stiffened. Wanabi was no threat to her, but the man following behind him was.

"Look at you, sleepy head. I thought you'd be asleep much longer." Kouki ran to the woman's side and embraced her in a loving hug. "I've missed you so much!"

The feel of Kouki's lips against Soi's cheek made the woman sick. She pushed him away, making him fall back on the ground. "Don't touch me." Her voice was calm, but colder than the harshest winter.

"What's with the hostility? I thought you'd be happy to see me."

Fury and annoyance began to fill the temperamental kunoichi, but she remembered to breath. She didn't want anything she said to have some sort of affect on Wanabi. However, she wasn't going to sit back and take the crap her captor was feeding her. "You must be kidding. You drugged me, kidnapped me and my child, and tried to blow up my husband on our wedding. Why would I be happy to see you?"

"Don't be upset with me. I did this all for you."

"Like I told you before, done what for me? Kill innocent people? Kidnapping? In what world would I want any of this?" Kouki stood, grabbed Soi by the forearm, and forced her to stand. Soi ripped her arm out of his grip and successfully collided her fist with his nose. She was expecting him to put up a much better fight, but was thankful she got her hit in anyway. "I said not to touch me."

Kouki's hand instinctively went to his nose for a quick inspection. "Why do you have to be so damn difficult!" The rage that was building up within the ex-shinobi was threatening to spill over. He could feel a stream of blood run from his noseand down to his chin.

"Why can't you leave me alone?"

"You don't mean that."

An internal war was battling itself inside the soon to be mother. She knew that she had to stay calm and collected, but there was nothing she wanted more than to break the mans neck. "What makes you think I don't? Time and again you have hurt people I love. That is a million times worse than doing anything to me directly and you know it."

"Soi-"

"What's even more impressive is that you had to balls to abduct a pregnant woman. I can't believe you would sink so low. Kami, you have really fallen from the shinobi you use to be."

All the resolve that Kouki had within him snapped. His powerful fingers found themselves around Soi's slender neck as he pinned her to the bed. Wanabi took a few steps forward to break up the fight, but held fast when Kouki's menacing eyes found his. "Outside." The older man did as he was instructed. The sound of the giant metal door closing behind him gave Soi a brief moment of happiness. Even though his absence meant that she was now alone with her captor, at least Wanabi was safe. "Why can't you just be happy to be with Ichirou and me? Why wont you let things go back to the way it was before?"

With some effort, Soi was able to place her feet on his stomach and kick him off of her. Although she didn't show it, her simple kick was tiring. Being pregnant was taking a larger toll on her than simply not being able to use her kekkei genkai. Kouki thought about attacking her again, but her frozen gaze and coughing made him stop. "Nothing is going to be the same, Kouki. We can't go back to what we use to be. Too much damage has been done."

"Yes we can." All of Kouki's anger turned into love and desperation. He wanted, needed Soi to understand that she had to stay with him. That he was nothing without her and that they were meant to be together. Soi knew this fact, but didn't care. She still loved him like a brother, somehow.

"Kou-"

"No. Listen." Kouki moved to the edge of the bed so he was sitting next to his love. Their arms were touching, make Kouki's heart flutter to the sky while making Soi's flood with disgust. "I know you're mad, but we can make this work. Sure it will take some time, but we have forever."

"I don't have forever. You and I both know that once this baby comes, I'm going to die."

"No you wont-"

"Don't delude yourself. Let me go home."

"Don't you understand? This is home now." One of his rough hands gently pulled the stray strands of Soi's hair out of his line of view of her face and placed them over her shoulder. "It might not be much, but once the cure is done we can move wherever you want. I know how much you love tea, so we can stay in the Tea Country. Plus, it will be a nice place for the baby to grow up. You'll be the loving mother who spoils her kid rotten and I'll be fun loving father who teaches the baby all sorts of things. We'll be the perfect family."

Two things stuck out from Kouki's plea. One, she was in the Tea Country. That was much too far away from home for her liking. Two, he had the audacity to think that he was going to take Kakashi's place as a father and a husband. "There is only one person who is the father of this baby and you're not him."

The slightest twinge of annoyance flickered across Kouki's face before it was replaced with a smile. "You'll come around. You always do." Before exiting the room he placed a tender kiss on the woman's cheek. The sight of Wanabi shaking in the hallway caught the man's eye. "Take her wherever you need to."

Soi eyes never left Kouki's form until her walked down the hall. Wanabi walked back into the room and extended a shaky hand to the angry woman. "We should go get you a proper check up."

The kunoichi's face relaxed slightly before taking the hand that was offered to her. On their way to the medical wing Soi couldn't seem to get Kouki out of her head. His constant mood swings had definitely gotten worse since they were young. Going from calm, to angry, to loving, to desperate all under five minutes must have been a record for him. She silently wondered who had received the wrong end of his wrath over the years.

"Kouki has never hurt you, has he?"

"No ma'am, but he I've seen him harm others."

"Soi."

"Yes, I mean Soi. I try to stay on his good side."

"I highly suggest you continue to do that."

"If I may be so bold. I don't think you should anger him so much. There's no telling what he might do."

A knowing smirk graced Soi's face as the reached the medical wing. "He'll do anything to harm me, but not kill me."

"Maybe not you, but would he kill your baby?"

The smirk on Soi's face dropped as the thought crossed her mind. Kouki was many things, but he wasn't the type to kill children. At least she hoped he wasn't.


	28. To Me

"Spoken" _Thought/Flashback/Dream_ **Writing **

Chapter 27: To Me

(During Chapter 25)

Dingin's POV

Who would've thought that I would ever long for the days when I threw up every other morning? I wouldn't have, but now I do. Now it's at least once a day, twice if I'm body feels like being truly cruel.

"Is there something I can get you," a soft, yet depressed voice said from my side. I turned my head just enough to catch a glimpse of those beautiful blue eyes of her. Those deep orbs of her still take my breath away. The feel of her hand rubbing my back was the only comfort to me at the moment. Then again, how much comfort can someone have when the vomit everything they've eaten that day?

"No thank you, Blue."

"Are you sure? Water? Soup?"

I gave my love the best smile I could muster, which probably didn't look like much at the moment. "I've fine." Her perfect lips pulled back into an almost perfect smile as her eyes slowly filled up with tears. I raised a hand to her soft face and pushed back a few stray strands of her blue hair. It was obvious that she was trying to put up a front, but she's never been good about hiding her feelings from me. "Please don't be sad."

She tried to smile for me again, but it didn't work. A single tear fell, instantly breaking my heart. "H-how can I not? You're sick and I…I can't do anything to fix it." I know how hard this was for her. She's the type to not show any weakness, no tears, but that's all she seems to be doing lately. What's worse is it's all because of me.

"You're doing enough by just being here."

Her body fell forward, making her rest on my shoulder. Her forehead rested in the crook of my neck as she tried to take deep breaths. "Where else would I be?"

"Home with the rest of the family. Playing with little Adatta." I knew how much it pained Letsu to have to skip Ai's wedding. They were like sisters and Letsu was so happy when Ai told her that she was going to be an "aunt".

She let out a huff and a small chuckle as I successfully changed the conversation, at least for now. "I can't wait to see him in person. The picture you brought me isn't good enough."

"You'd like him. He's a sweet kid." We had a happy moment between us before the atmosphere froze. I could feel the depression in the air.

"Please stay with me," she begged. "You can't leave me. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Letsu-"

"Kouki said that the scientists are getting close to fin-"

"Please don't get your hopes up."

"Hopes are all I have left." She sat up straight, resting her back against the tub. This small bathroom became our second home over the past few days. "Din, I really can't go on without you. There's nothing for me back there."

"You have Naomi and the others. They love you."

"I know they do, but…they're not you."

I pushed myself away from the toilet and leaned against the tub. Our fingers intertwined as I wound our hands together. "To me." My heart fluttered as she smiled back at me. "To me," was our secret way of saying, "You're everything to me." I don't remember exactly when it started, but it's nice to have something like that between us. Our own little code that no one else knows.

A rough knocking came from the door, making us both turn to see who it was. "Sorry to interrupt your little moment, but Letsu has a visitor." Kouki really did know how to ruin a moment.

"Tell him to wait," my loves harsh words shot back. "We're talking."

I patted her hand lightly, letting her know that it was ok to leave. "Go. I'll be ok by me self."

"But-"

"Don't worry. I don't plan on dying in the next few minutes."

Her eyes, those perfect blue eyes, shot me a warning looking. "That's not funny," she warned. "I'll be back in a little bit. Just stay here or go to bed."

"Yes, ma'am" I said with a wink. She have me a half hearted, half annoyed smile before walking out the door, Kouki right behind her.

Watching her walk away, even if she was going to open a door or to storm away from me, was always the hardest thing to watch. Watching her walk away always made me feel like I wasn't ever going to see her again. I'm not sure why that was, but I couldn't help it. I had to, needed to have her beside me.

After flushing the toilet, a bit all too happy to watch my food disappear, I slowly stood up. It took me a few minutes to regain my balance, which seemed to bard to do these days, my feet directed towards the exit. In no time I was heading towards the cafeteria, although I'm not sure why. I just finished throwing up, so what was the purpose of eating more?

As I arrived my eyes caught sight of a rather beautiful young woman. She was sitting at a table at the far end of the room with a familiar blond. It only took me a few strides to reach the table, but it was obvious that I wasn't wanted. Ichirou and Soi both looked up at me, annoyed.

"What are two of my favorite people up to?"

"Does it matter," Soi retorted. I wonder what was wrong with her.

I sat down next to Ichirou, Soi being on the other side of the table. "What's with the hostility?"

"Do you really need to ask?"

I leaned over just enough for Ichirou to hear me whisper. "What's wrong with her?"

"She's been like that all morning."

Soi let out an annoyed huff. "You know I can hear the two of you, right?" At least she didn't lose any of her spunk while being here. "If you two don't mind, I'm going back to my room."

"Actually-" but she didn't let me finish. She had already started walking away before I could say much of anything. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No, she's just in one of her moods."

"She looks like she put you in a bad one. I've never seen you look so unhappy."

"I think she just misses the sun. She loves being outside and I think her time away from fresh are is making her cranky. By the way, how are you feeling?"

I wanted to give me a happy remark or some sort of positive outlook, but I wasn't in the habit of lying. "Like Hell. It's gotten to the point where it hurts to walk most of the time."

"I'm sorry to hear that. How's Letsu taking it?"

"Not well. I've woken up a few times to her crying. I told her today that she shouldn't hope for much. If the doctors haven't found a cure yet, I'm sure I wont be around long enough to see the finished product."

"But they do have something. I know it's not what we've been hoping for, but they can at least test it out on you."

"They have. I've been pumped full of four different vaccines and none of them helped. At least not for long." There was a light thud as I patted my young friend on the back. "I'm sorry Ichirou, but I don't think that I'm going to be around for much longer."

The little bit of happiness and resolve began to disappear from his eyes. "I really am sorry, Dingin." Although I haven't known Ichirou long, I've come to learn that this happy go lucky Yamanaka means what he says.

I gave him the best smile I could as I slowly began to stand. "Don't be. Everyone dies. It's just a question of when." I took the apple that was sitting on his food tray and walked off.

There wasn't any place I was looking for. For a while, I simply walked through the bunker. It felt good to stretch my legs, but it hurt at the same time. A kind of agonizing pleasure. After a while I ended up back in the area where are the "important people" were housed. Kouki's idea of important people are certainly different from mine. Each life was important. Why should the shinobi of this base be higher than everyone else who lived here?

As I continued down the hall I found myself standing in front of a metal door. Although I have never passed through it, I knew what lay on the other side. There was a slight banging sound as my knuckles knocked against the metal.

"Go away."

I couldn't help the smile that moved across my lips. "That's no way to speak to family."

"I have no family here." I rolled my eyes as I slowly placed a hand on the doorknob. To my surprise, the door was unlocked. With more effort that should have been needed, I pushed the door open.

Soi was laying on her bed, reading what seemed to be a medical book. "I didn't know you liked medicine."

"I don't," she shot back, "but there's nothing else to read in this place. And it's not like you would know anything about me anyway."

My hand involuntarily shot to the back of my head, itching a spot that gave me some discomfort. "Can I sit down?"

"I'd say no, but I'm sure you'd do it anyway."

"No," I said as I moved to sit on the edge of her bed. Her eyes still unmoving from the pages before her, "I would go, but you didn't say I had to leave, so…." I was leaving myself open for some sort of retort. Anything to keep her talking, but she left me with nothing. "I'd like to apologies for…well, all of this."

Success, I finally got to see her eyes. "You need to save what little strength you have because wasting your breath on apologies is just going to kill you sooner."

"That's a little harsh."

"So is kidnapping a pregnant woman."

"Again, I'm very sorry that, but there was nothing else we could do. It didn't seem like you were going to come to us on your own accord."

"No, fucking, duh. Why in the world would I willingly come to a place like this?"

"Because your brother's want you here."

"But I don't want to be with them. Why don't any of you understand that?"

"They told me a bit about you, you know." I was hoping that, that would make her relax a bit, but it only fuelled her anger. "What ever happened to you guys? You sound like you use to be so close."

"What happened between us is none of your damn business!"

I involuntarily leaned back away from her. The anger radiating off of her was enough to knock the wind out of me. "Ok, ok. We don't have to talk about your past." Wow, she can be as testy as Letsu. I watched as her body slowly relaxed. I really was sorry that she was hurting, but she had to be here. Kouki and Ichirou would make my life, and more importantly Letsu's, a living Hell.

"Well, at least you got to see your friend."

Her brows knitted together in confusion. She actually looked adorable like that, like a little child. "What are you talking about?"

Now it was my turn to be confused. "You're friend who wears that ridiculous green outfit. The really outspoken one. Letsu and Kouki were talking to him not long ago and I figured you be with them."

"Guy? How could I have seen him?"

"Are you really so obtuse? He comes around every week."

"WHAT!" The fire that burned in her eyes were terrifying, but I couldn't show her how much she actually frightened me.

"Um, you didn't know? I thought Kouki would at least tell you that."

I'm not sure if it was because I was tired of if it was a trick of the light, but I could have sworn that I saw fire in her eyes. "Tell me what?"

"Letsu has had him under her spell for months. How do you think we knew you were getting married and everything else that you've been up to?" Honestly, I thought she would've figured that out long ago. Did Soi and the others really think that we wouldn't find some way to monitor them? What better way than to have Letsu command a few shinobi to spy on their comrades?

Her face twisted from anger, to confusion, to hurt, then too a million other before her feature went neutral. There seemed to be no life in her eyes. She was completely void. It was actually more terrifying than when she was angry. "Get out of my room." Her voice was completely emotionless. It was terribly unnerving.

"Soi-"

I watched as she removed herself from the bed and stood by her bedroom door. "We're done, get out."

I really don't like this version of her. I want her to be angry with me again, not this…whatever this was. It's worse than Letsu on a bad day. Either way, I did as I was told, but stopped just outside the door. "No matter how you feel, I am sorry that you're upset."

Her dark eyes stared back at me with no hint of emotion. I was hoping that she'd say something, anything, but all I got was door to the face. Dejected and extremely tired, I started back for my room.

When I finally made my way back to my room, a very pissed off looking blue haired angel glared back at me. "Where have you been?"

I gave her the biggest smile I could, but that didn't get rid of the extreme look of displeasure that seemed to be permanently set on her face. "I went to see my cousin." My body sank slightly into the mattress as I sat on the edge of the bed as I watched her pace around the room. It never ceased to amaze me how truly beautiful she was, even with an angry face.

"You should've been in bed, resting. You can't keep walking all over this place."

"I can't stay in bed all the time, either."

"Yes you can and will. Don't make me charm you."

"But you already have," I said with a wink.

Her frantic pacing came to a halt before me. Although her face still held much displeasure, her eyes betrayed her outward demeanor. "This isn't funny, Dingin. You need to stay in bed and concentrate on getting well."

"I'll stay in bed," I spoke softly as I grabbed one of her hands and pulled her towards me. Thankfully she didn't put up a fight. Instead, she fell into me and relaxed under my embrace. "But only if you stay with me." My love let out a defeated sign as she nodded her head, which rested in the crook of my neck. Our bodies now rested fully on the bed, her on top of me. Neither of us wanting to break the momentary silence between us, but my curiosity about her visitor was too much to control.

"What updates did your visitor have to offer?"

The annoyed grumble that erupted from her perfect mouth made me smile. "Even under my spell, that guy is still so annoying. I'm not sure how anyone could put with him. He's so…"

"So, what?"

"Hyper, annoying, idiotic." I smiled again as my fingers started playing with long strands of perfect blue hair. "The Hokage still hasn't found us. They're not even looking in the right country. But they're working on a cure too." That was no surprise. They had a few copies of Adatta's research. It is only logical that they'd work on it. "I think we should go to Konoha." I didn't see that coming. She said it as nonchalant as if she was ordering a meal. "Dingin?" I didn't answer, I didn't know what to say. It's not like I haven't thought about it, but I couldn't bring myself to leave Kouki and Ichirou. They have become good friends over the past few years and I couldn't see myself leaving them. When I didn't answer Letsu lifted her head to look at me with puzzle filled eyes.

"I'm not sure we should."

"Why not? The Hokage is the best medical shinobi this world has ever seen. If anyone could figure out the cure, it would be her."

"What about Kouki and Ichirou? They're our friends."

"The only person I care about is you. They promised us a cure if we got Soi and they haven't delivered. It's time we start thinking about ourselves and less about them." I didn't want to say it out loud, but she was right. The Hokage would be able to figure out the cure before the doctors ever could. "Please, let's leave this place."

How could I say no to that? "Alright. We'll leave tomorrow."

"Not a chance."

"Why," I chuckled out. "I thought you wanted to leave."

"I do, but only when you're not throwing up every ten minutes."

"You are an impossible woman," I said as my fingers began to massager her scalp, making blue strands stick out in all directions. "But that's why I love you."

"To me." Those two little words always made me feel better. It was like hearing her say that she loves me for the first time.

My eyes started to grow heavy and I knew what was coming. I was going to sleep for another twelve hours and then wake up to the terrific feeling of nausea and dizziness. It was like clock work. Sleep, wake up, puke, eat a little, go back to sleep. "To me."

One of her soft hands traced my jaw, traveled up the side of my face, and into my hair. With my eyes still closed, I tightened my grip around her. I could feel her breath against my neck. It started to slow in time with mine, creeping closer to the dream world that awaited us both.

When sleep overcame me something happened that hasn't happened in a long time, I dreamed. It was if I was looking into a future that I knew would never come. Letsu was holding a little girl in her arms. The child had all the same features of as her mother, except the skin color. That was the only thing I would say I gave her. The two were smiling happily at each other while I watched them from afar. They were in one of the few parks within Iwa having the time of their lives. The little girl had just slid down a slide and Letsu was there to catch her before she reached the bottom. The image so amazing that I didn't want to wake up. I wanted to stay in this perfect dream world forever.

However, life wasn't so kind. What felt like few minutes somehow turned into several hours. Like the night before, I wake up to the worst feeling imaginable. Not only was I vomiting all over the place, but I couldn't stop the incontrollable pain that racked through my body. It was like being struck by lightning repeatedly with no end is sight. The only comfort I had was the marvelous enchantress at my side.

/\/\

AN: Poor Guy. Of course someone as nice as him is being used as a tool.


	29. Fresh Air

AN: I'm in a really good mood today, so here's another chapter. I'm in a rush, so I haven't gotten a chance to look it over for mistakes. If I have some free time today I'll do that.

"Spoken" _Thought/Flashback/Dream_ **Writing **

Chapter 28: Fresh Air

(During Chapter 25)

The cold, stone walls of Soi's underground prison were driving the poor woman crazy. Time and again the legendary Reaper tried to escape her stone prison, but failed each time. If Kouki or Ichirou didn't catch her, one of Letsu's Iwagakure puppets did. But each time she tried to escape, she made sure that Wanabi was with her. The doctor was the only person she trusted and vise versa. The two had grown extremely close during their time together. A fact that did not got unnoticed by Kouki.

"Let's go outside today." Soi's eyes snapped up from the book she was reading and stared at Kouki in disbelief. She had been trapped in the underground bunker for two months and not seen the sun once. After studying the man for a brief moment she turned her eyes back to her book. "I'm serious. Just you and me. I think it's about time you got some fresh air."

"You think now is the best time? Really? What about the past two months?"

"I had to make sure you wouldn't go anywhere. Now that I know you wont leave me, I can trust you to go outside." Soi rolled her eyes at Kouki's stupidity. What trust? She made several attempts to escape, but failed each time. Was he truly out of his mind? "Come on, Soi. Let's go play."

"I'm not sure how much fun a pregnant lady can have."

"Then let's find out." Kouki jumped from his seat next to her, grabbed her arm, and yanked her out of common area of the bunker.

Soi threw her book on the coach she was torn from and blindly followed her violet-eyed friend. "What about Ichirou?"

"We'll get him next time."

"He's going to be upset that he wasn't invited."

"Then we'll keep it a secret." Besides Soi's alleged death, there were no secrets between the deadly trio. This thought made Soi think of what other secrets he might be keeping.

After several twists and turn through the stone halls the duo came to a massive door. It was metal, like every other door in the bunker, but was much thicker. The bright rays of sunlight temporarily blinded the two shinobi, but their eyes quickly adjusted it.

The sweet smell of flowers and melody of the birds was enough to break Soi's spirits. She had been in a cage for so long that she had started to forget what the outside world was like. Her hair danced around her swollen body with help from the soft blowing wind. After taking a few steps away from giant door and soaking up the sun, she started taking in her surroundings. In front of her was a small grassy field. There were a few flowers here and there, but the tree line seemed to be sixty yards away.

"Do you like it," a slightly shaky voice asked behind her. Kouki had always been scared to give Soi gifts. He knew that she the type of girl who didn't really care for gifts. She would rather spend the evening outside or being with the people she loves than being given an expensive gift. This was the only gift he could give her. In his eyes, she was too weak to make a trip to the nearest village, but he wouldn't have risked it anyway. He trusted her with his whole heart, but still always questioned if she'd run for him. To him, Konoha and Kakashi's brainwashing was still in affect and that it would take time for it to go away.

Soi looked at the man over her shoulder and gave him the first real smile she had in the past two months. "I love it." As she looked in his direction she took not of the area around him. The giant metal door they had immerged from was carved into the side of rocky hill. When she turned her head back around she made sure to catch a glimpse of the sun. According to the sun's position and the shadows on the ground, it was about four in the afternoon. Then something else caught Soi's attention. It was familiar, but she couldn't quite place it. "What's that sound?"

Kouki tilted his head to the side slightly before a toothy smile danced a crossed his face. "The ocean. It's a few miles that way," he said as he point forward.

_The ocean,_ Soi thought.

If the sun was to the west and the ocean was in front of her that meant that she was on the northeast boarder of the Tea Country. That meant she was close to the Fire Country, but was it close enough that she could make a break for it?

"I'm happy you like being outside."

"It's always better than being inside."

Soi could not see the satisfied smirk on her friend's lips from her spot. Kouki sat on cool green grass and leaned against the rocky hillside. "Come sit with me." The curly hair woman looked over he shoulder once again. Kouki sat with his legs open in a V-shape and his arms outstretched to her. Reluctantly, she did as she was told. She sat between his legs with her back to him. His arms encircled her, preserving her in a cage against his chest. "Much better."

"Whatever you say." Each word dripped with sarcasm.

His arms squeezed the woman closer to him as he kissed her temple. Soi flinched at the feel of his lips, but that only made him hold her tighter. "Don't act like that. Let's just enjoy the day." An involuntary movement from under his hand made Kouki look down at his prisoner's stomach. "It kicked. The baby kicked!"

"Why are you so surprised? You've felt Dumpling kick before."

Kouki blew off her sarcastic remark and gently placed both hands on her stomach. "Why wont you let Wanabi tell us what it is? I'm dying to know."

"I don't. I want it to be a surprise." One of Soi's elegant hands danced of her stomach, pushing Kouki's hands out of the way.

"I can't wait to be a father." Those simple little words, had they come from another man would've set her heart aflame with love, but they had turned her heart to ice.

"You're. Not. The. Father." Each word she spoke was more deadly than the last. They had this conversation many times and each time her words seem to be going over Kouki's head.

"Not by blood, but I will love it as if we were." One of his hands founds its place back on her stomach while the other began pushing stray strands of hair over her shoulder.

"Not in a million years."

The hand on her stomach suddenly stopped being gentle. Instead of light strokes, Kouki's hand was digging roughly into her. "You need to learn to stop being so mean."

"Stop it," she harped as she tried to pull his hand away. When she couldn't pull his arm away she tried to face him, but his other hand caught in her hair. His long fingers tangled themselves in her long locks while he forced her head back.

"I don't understand why you're like this."

"Stop!"

"I've taken care of you. Let you stay with Ichirou and I-"

"You're going to hurt Dumpling!"

"I'm even trying to figure out a cure for you and you're still so ungrateful. I'm sure you never gave Kakashi this much trouble."

"Kakashi never need to kidnap me in order to receive my affection!"

Before Soi had time to register what he was doing, Kouki removed his hand from her stomach and took out a kunai. The blade was pressed firmly against her stomach, instantly making Soi stop struggling. "I've been trying very hard not to be angry with you, but you're making it very difficult." The dark, menacing side of Kouki had returned. His voice held little emotion and sent chills down Soi's spine. "Then again, I can't really hold it against you. They taught you to hate me."

"They?"

"Konoha." His grip on her hair tightened as thoughts of his old home flooded his mind. "Kakashi." The blade on her stomach had dug itself into her flesh. It wasn't enough to harm the baby, but enough for Soi to quiver with fear.

After a couple of moments the hand in Soi's hair loosened and made it's way to her throat. He didn't choke her, but his grip was tight enough to keep her in place. "I don't think I like your baby very much." His voice was distressed; his body lightly shook as a hard realization hit him. If she could see him, she could tell that he was holding back frustrated tears. "It's going to be like him. I know it. No matter what I do, it wont love me." His blade slowly began to dig deeper into her. Soi wrapped her hands against the end of the blade that wasn't sticking in her. Her palms began to bleed against the pain, but it did not dare remove her hands. "Do you love me?"

"Let me go, Kouki!" Soi's voice held anger, but most of all, fear. Not for herself, but for the little one inside her.

"Please tell me."

"You're going to hurt the baby!" This time her voice was thick with panic. There was no sign of him stopping.

"I'll give you another one." His eyes closed in ecstasy as he inhaled her heavenly scent. It was a distinct aroma that was all her own; fresh flowers and rain. Although she had been stuck under rock and dirt for months, she still retained that smell. Of course, being outside probably heightened her fragrance.

"What the hell are you doing!" Soi's eyes snapped to the direction of the metal door. A savior had come, although it wasn't the one she was hoping for. "Stop hurting her." Ichirou pulled Kouki's arms away from sisters. Once she was freed he helped her stand while rushing her back into the bunker. "You've lost your mind!"

Soi stole a glance at Kouki before she lost sight of him. He had his hands pressed against the side of his head as silent sobs escaped him. All he wanted was her love. The same love that she gave to Kakashi. He wanted her to have his child, not one that belonged to the silver haired menace.

While Kouki continued to tremble in his own misery, Ichirou and Soi made their way to the medical wing. "I'm so, so sorry I wasn't there to help you."

"He didn't want you there." Soi was holding the wound on her stomach as tightly as possible, but the blood wouldn't stop flowing.

"I'm sure I just forgot that we were supposed to take you out today."

"You didn't miss anything. He deliberately kept you out of it. He said it would be our little secret."

"H-he wouldn't do that. He never keeps things from me." The slight quiver in his voice was more than enough for Soi. Ichirou was never hesitant in his words, never. If he hesitated, that means he knows that Kouki has been keeping secrets from him. How many, she did not know.

When the reached the medical wing, Ichirou rushed Soi into the first room he could find. The room was freezing, making all the warm blood spilling out of her turn cold. "Go get Wanabi."

"But-"

"Either get him or watch me bleed. Your choice."

Ichirou didn't need to think. He bolted for the door and flew down the stone halls. Soi layed back on one of the hospital beds and tried to control her breathing Her hands were no longer the mocha color she was use to, but crimson. She felt her baby kick several times, making her wince. "It's alright, baby. Everything is going to be ok," she whispered. "Mommy loves you…daddy loves you too."

Each night, before she went to sleep, Soi would sing a lullaby or two to the little one growing inside her. Dumpling had a nasty habit of keeping Soi up at night, but she soon discovered that if she sand to her baby Soi could get in a few hours of sleep. However, what really seemed to please the baby was when Soi talked about Kakashi. She had told the little one about their first meeting, how they fell in love, and how excited they were to know that they were parents.

"How touching," a cold voice spoke. Soi turned her head to the side, already knowing who the voice belonged to. A thin paper screen blocked her view of the blue haired woman, but Soi didn't need to see her in order to know that the other woman wasn't happy.

Soi took a few deep breaths before finding the will to speak calmly. "I wasn't talking to you."

"No doubt." Letsu stood from her chair and made her way to the other side of screen. Her eyes were red and her cheeks were puffy. The beautiful blue hair was in complete disarray. "You better be grateful."

An amused chuckle escaped Soi's lips. "Do I look like I'm grateful?"

A mischievous grin placed across Letsu's face, her eyes were swirling pools of hatred and despair. Her graceful hips swayed to their natural beat as glided over to Soi. "I could make you kill yourself, you know? Better yet, I could make you kill your baby."

"And risk Kouki and Ichriou's anger? Doubtful."

"There is nothing they can take from me now. I've already lost everything."

"You still have Dingin."

A single tear fell from Letsu's face, but her demeanor didn't change. It was as if her body was frozen from the inside out. Rage was building up within the Iwagakure shinobi that it threatened to eat her alive.

Suddenly, Wanabi and the Yamanaka burst into the room. Wanabi made his way to Soi's side and quickly examined the wound. "I don't think it's deep, but you're going to need stitches."

Ichirou stood at the side of Soi's bed as he watched Wanabi roam through the room. "Why can't you use medical ninjutsu?"

"I'm not a medical-ninja, I'm just a normal doctor, and I wouldn't recommend using the Mystical Palm Technique on a pregnant woman. It could affect the baby negatively." After obtaining the few supplies that he needed, Wanabi made his way back to Soi's side. "Let me give you something for the pain."

"There's no need. Just stitch me up and send me packing," she said with a smirk. Wanabi eyed her skeptically, but did as he was told.

"I'm so sorry, sister. I know he didn't mean it." Ichirou's voice was so sincere the Soi almost forgot why she was mad at him.

"He meant it, Ichirou."

"No, he loves you and the baby. It was just an accident."

"Yes, an accident," Letsu added.

Ichirou tore his gaze from Soi long enough to drink in Letsu's form. He felt some sorrow for the woman, but couldn't bring himself to care more for her than for Soi. "Letsu, you should leave."

"I'm not leaving him."

"We wont be long."

"No!"

"He said get out," a cold voice said from the door. Everyone except Wanabi gave their attention to the brunet. "I wont say it again." The look on Letsu's face showed that she was thinking it over, but she did as commanded. "Please leave, Ichirou."

"Not a chance, Kou. You need to calm down."

"I'm fine. I just want to apologies to her." A familiar feeling of lightheadedness filled Soi. She recognized the feeling and knew it was nothing to worry about. Well, that's not true. She didn't have to worry only because it wasn't aimed at her. Ichirou was readying himself for a fight. The lightheadedness was the tell tale sign that he was about to use his genjutu. In fact, he might already be using it. Sometimes it was hard to tell.

"You can do that with me in the room."

The tension in the room was almost physically painful. Wanabi placed a large bandage over Soi's stomach wound before taking a look at her hands. "I'm going to have to stitch these too. Do you want something for them?"

"No, I'll be fine."

"But-"

"She said she's fine," Kouki yelled.

"Don't yell at him," Soi yelled, equally as heated. "He's cleaning up your mess. If anything, you should be thanking him."

The anger within Kouki was evident, but it gradually evaporated at her words. "You're right." One of the brunet's deadly hands patted the shaken doctor on the back. Wanabi flinched at the touch, but continued working. "Thank you." There was a momentary pause in Wanabi's work. Kouki never touched anyone without it being some form of punishment and he certainly never thanked them.

"I'm sorry, Soi. I should never have gone so far. I don't know why I did it." Kouki was expecting some kind of comeback. A sarcastic remark or a high pitched yell, anything, but received silence. "Forgive me?"

This was an answer that didn't require any thought. The words flowed from her lips as easy as it was to say, "I love you," to Kakashi. "I can't." Those two little words, as calm and collected as they were, shatter Kouki's world. It was like Soi had died all over again.

Ichirou hurried to his friends and lightly yanked the man towards the door. "Come one, Kou. Let's go for a walk." Kouki and Soi were staring each other down, neither willing to break. "Kou."

"Yeah…yeah, I'm coming." Taking his eyes off of Soi was like stabbing himself in the heart.

"We'll see you later, sis." Ichirou's famous heartwarming smile did little to warm Soi. She was emotionless as she could get.

Once the boys were out of the room, she gave her full attention to Wanabi. "I'm sorry you had to sit through that."

"I'd like to say I've been through worse, but that was terrifying. I started feeling dizzy and nauseas."

"That was Ichirou's genjutsu."

"But nothing seemed different. I thought genjutsu was supposed to alter a persons reality."

"It can, but Ichirou is subtle. He'll make the enemy kill his comrades without them even knowing it. But if uses his mind-transfer jutsu he could just do it himself."

"I'm sorry, but the shinobi world is to disturbing for me. You may be able to do some amazing things, but your gifts come at a price. There is too much killing."

"Sadly, there will always be killing, but that's something every shinobi is willing to pay. I would die for my village and my people, just like any real shinobi would."

"What about the lives of the innocent. I have seen innocent people die in shinobi battles."

Those words struck a nerve within the kunoichi. "No real shinobi would harm an innocent, for any reason. Not one." Wanabi stopped wrapping Soi's hands long enough to see the seriousness in her eyes. Soi believed whole-heartedly in her words. Shinobi were meant to protect and serve, nothing more and nothing less.

"You're all done. Take it easy, don't do any heavy lifting. I'll give you some extra gauze incase you start bleeding again, but you shouldn't. Even if you do, the first thing you should do is come find me."

The moment Wanabi mentioned heavy lifting, Soi started laughing. "What heavy lifting am I going to do besides carrying Dumpling?"

"Nothing, I guess." Soi sat up slowly and slid off the bed. One of her hands rubbed the patch job on her stomach. "I have some work to do in here, but I'll come check on you a little later." Soi was about to exit the chilly room, but her curiosity got the better of her. The paper curtain that Letsu walked out of was calling for her. Wanabi tried to stop her, but she wouldn't be swayed. "I don't think you want to look behind there."

"I guarantee that I've seen worse." Behind the white screen was a surgical table. On top of it was a large white blanket that covered a still form. Sadness filled the kunoichi as she realized that someone, probably one of the doctors or scientist, had passed. Soi pulled back the sheet and all sense of sadness left her.

Dingin was lying in front of her, cold and still. All the color had drained from her face, which also seemed to take all the handsome with it. The dark circles under his eyes would be the first things anyone saw from a distance. He was nothing but skin and bones; patches of hair were thin and flakey. "When did this happen?"

"A few hours ago. I still have to do the autopsy. I'm sorry for your loss."

"The only person who lost anything is Letsu. He was nothing to me." A brief though passed through Soi's mind. In a month, she'll be the one laying on that table. She'll become cold and lifeless too. "Who far along have you gotten it the cure?"

"Pretty far, I suppose. Come to think of it, I need to take some more blood sample. Your little problem is very tricky."

Soi turned to her loving doctor, a calculating look on her face. "Far enough that you could keep me alive?"

"Miss Soi-"

"It's just Soi,. I'm not asking for a miracle. I just need a few hours." Devious thoughts were pouring through her mind. Wonderfully evil thoughts.

"M-maybe, but…I don't understand."

"You and I both know that I'm going to die after I give birth, but I'm not going down without a fight."

"I don't understand."

"After I give birth, all of my pent up chakra is supposed to burst, right? With the cure you have now, how long do you think it could keep me from dying?"

Wanabi was completely at a loss as to what was going on? Was she scared of dying or was she just loosing her mind? "A few hours, days maybe. I'm not sure."

Wonderfully evil ideas flooded the kunoichi's head as he nodded. "Would you do me a favor?"


	30. A New Life

AN: Yay for a Sunday update! I just looked at my schedule and…yeah, I wouldn't have posted tomorrow.

I feel really terrible for not saying how much I appreciate all the comments I've received. Considering I tell the people I love in real life, "I love you," a million times a day, I don't say it enough to you guys. So, here I go. I LOVE YOU! I love all of you so very much and thank you from the bottom of my heart for your reactions and comments. They are truly cherished. Thank you so very, very much.

Also, I'm having a little trouble coming up with a title for the prequel. I was thinking about Unexpected, but I'm not sure. So, I'm going to ask you guys for help. You guys know a little bit about Soi's background, so what do you think it should be? I'd really like to know what you guys think. Comments and/or PMs are welcome.

"Spoken" _Thought/Flashback/Dream_ **Writing **

Chapter 29: A New Life  
>(During Chapter 25)<p>

Since the day he stitched Soi together, Wanabi had been on edge, more than normal. On the other hand, Soi was perfectly at ease, most of the time. There were some days when she was scared about the future of her child, but forcefully pushed away such thoughts. Dumpling was supposed to come at any time and the excitement of seeing her baby was almost too much for her. For the remainder of her pregnancy, Kouki kept his distance. Not willingly, but Ichirou kept a watchful eye over him and Soi would not give him the time of day. Meanwhile, Letsu rarely made an appearance. She was either locked away in her room or under the trees where Dingin was buried under right outside of the bunker.

"How much longer do we have to wait!" Every morning Ichirou made his way to Soi's room with a large tray of food and every morning Soi yelled at him for disturbing her sleep. Apparently, no one ever told him that pregnant women require sleep. Today's menu: oatmeal, toast, hard-boiled eggs, orange juice, milk, and a lot of discomfort. Since the moment she woke up, Soi was having stomach pains like nothing she had ever felt before, but she assumed it was just the baby's playful manner. What better way of passing the time than kicking mommy's insides? "Dumpling should be here by now."

"How do you think I feel? I'm the one carrying this little food monger."

"Food monger?"

"Look at me! I'm fatter than a whale and eating two times my body weight. I'm tired all the time and extremely cranky."

"You've always been cranky."

"Shut up, child." Soi tossed a hard-boiled egg at Ichirou's head to prove her point. Ichirou caught it with ease.

"And you think I'm the child."

"Just eat." The two ate in silence. A comfortable, almost nostalgic silence. Soi hadn't felt this relaxed around him since they were young.

"Do you remember when we use to sleep over at your house after missions? Your aunt would cook for us and we'd always eat too much. I miss those days."

Soi remembered those too. They were crystal clear in her mind. It was so long ago that it felt like it had been another lifetime instead a few years. "Please, just shut up and-"

The seemingly innocent blond waited for the end of his sister's rant, but it never came. "What?" Ichirou looked at his friend with concern. She was holding her stomach and giving it a strange look. "What's wrong?"

"Take me to Wanabi."

"Why?"

"Now!" The blond did not have to be told again. He helped the kunoichi stand. "Ow…ow."

"What wrong? Why are you all wet?"

A sense of overwhelming joy filled Soi from her head to her toes. This was it. She was going to give birth to her lovely baby. She was going to be a mom. But as quickly as her joy came, it was replaced with panic. What if something went wrong? What if something was wrong with the baby? What would happen to it when she died? "My water just broke, you idiot. Oh…ow."

The two took baby steps to the medical wing, but not before running into the last person Soi ever wanted to see. "What's wrong with her?"

Dark brown eyes pierced the violet ones before her, as if her being hunched over in pain didn't make the situation obvious. "Baby. Move."

"What!"

Ichirou tried to find a way around his friend, but Kouki was to awestruck to realize that he needed to move out of the way. "Come on, Kou. I need to get her to Wanabi."

"But-"

Ichirou's patience wasn't enough for Soi. She wanted Wanabi and she wanted him now. "Kouki, I swear to Kami, if I have this baby in the hallway I will fucking murder you!"

The brunet became as obedient as the blond. The boys practically carried her to the medical wing, but Wanabi wasn't in the room that they chose. "Go get Wanabi, I've got her," Kouki spoke as he helped Soi into the medical bed. Soi gave Ichirou a silent plea to not leave her alone with him, but he didn't answer. As Ichirou ran to find the doctor, Kouki carried his love to the large medical bed. "Are you ok? Is there anything I can do?"

"Get out."

"I'm not leaving you."

"Kouki, get the fuck out!"

"I know you're only talking like that because you're in pain. I'll let it go."

"I'm not in fucking pain! I'm a woman whose about to give birth and I'm freaking out."

"You're freaking out, ok. That's more of a reason to not separate."

"Kouki…ow…ow." She wanted so badly to threaten him again, but she was torn between practicing her breath or using all of her oxygen to curse his existence. A few moments later Ichirou, Wanabi, and several other doctors burst through the door. Wanabi and one of the unnamed doctors began setting up machines and poking all sorts of wires and tubing into her. When Soi's eyes caught sight all the machines, another wave of panic hit her. "What's all this for?"

After setting up a the last machine, Wanabi went to his friend's side. "They're to moniter you body and it's reaction when you give birth in case your kekkei genkai starts acting up. How are you feeling?"

"Fine, just scared." It was true. She was more scared than in pain.

"Alright, there's no reason to be scared."

"You're talking to a dead woman who is about to have her first baby. I'm scared. When is she coming out?"

"Let me give you a quick look over and I'll tell you in a moment. In the mean time, take several deep breaths and try to stay calm."

"Ok…ok." Soi's head rolled back on the bed as she took several long, deep breaths. Kouki and Ichirou were on either side of her, both of them holding one of her hands.

"So, it's a girl," Ichirou questioned.

"It has to be. A momma's boy wouldn't be moving so damn much. Girl's are more defiant."

"Uh, isn't a baby supposed to move?"

"Shut up!"

Ichirou gave his lovely friend an amused smirk. "You don't have to be so testy. It's only a baby."

"I will fucking kill you!"

"Since when did fuck become your word of choice?" Kouki added in with a smirk.

"I will end you both," said groaned with a heated glare that would make the sun look like a small candle.

"You are 6 centimeters dilated. You're moving a long quickly," Wanabi interrupted.

"Yep, it's a girl. Mom and Obaa-san told me stories about how the girls in our family were all painful births."

"This is a good thing. At the rate you're going this baby should be out in no time."

"Uh, not soon enough." For the next hour and a half, Ichirou and Kouki came up with the most ridicules small talk in order to take Soi's mind off of the baby, but nothing worked. They only difference they made was that they amped up the level of profanity coming from their friend.

"How do you feel," Kouki asked as he rubbed the woman's hand between his.

"Like shit. How the hell do you think I feel? Ow…ow….uh, how much longer?"

Wanabi, who had take a few moments to get a quick drink, positions himself by his patients lower half. "I'm going to need you to bend your knees for me. Can you do that?"

"Yeah." Her voice was weak and shaken. All she wanted was for this to be over, but there was no end in sight. She bent her knees and spread her legs to the best of her abilities.

"9 centimeters. The baby should be coming any time now."

"Thank you, Kami. Ow…ow! Uhh! I'm going to kill you, Kakashi!" Her words were supposed to sound sarcastic, but through the pain she just sounded angry. Everyone in the room who knew about her marriage knew that she didn't mean it, but that didn't stop Kouki from thinking the same thing. After the day he stabbed her, his hatred for Kakashi amplified. He hated the thing the copy-nin put inside his love, but loved the baby at the same time. He was so happy to see the smile on Soi's face every time she talked about the baby, but constantly wished it were his. "Can I start pushing now?"

"I wou-, 10 centimeters. Go ahead."

Kouki eyed the doctor as if he was some kind of alien. "She's not some dog that can acts on a command," but Kouki's argument was flawed. At that moment, Soi was pushing as hard as she could, screaming the entire time. Her vice like grip on her ex-friend's hands was her only stress reliever next to breaking their eardrums.

"Good girl," Wanabi said with some amount of glee. His lips held a joyous smile that no one could see behind his mask. "I can see the head."

Tear streamed down Soi's face as she pushed as if her life depended on it. These were tears of pure, unyielding love for her child, but also tears of sorrow. There were several people in the room, helping her through the most pivotal time of her life, and not one of them was the one person she wanted most. Kakashi was missing the birth of his child. He was supposed to be with her now. He was supposed to help her through the pain. To tell her that everything was going to be ok. "Kakashi," she choked out between screams and sobs. "Kakashi…I need you. Please help me."

Everyone in the room was silent aside from Wanabi, who was telling her to push. The other doctors were utterly confused as to who Kakashi might be, everyone else knew. Wanabi was too focused to say anything on the matter, but Ichirou was too afraid to speak up. It was obvious that Kouki was upset that Soi was crying out for Kakashi and not for him, but he was wise enough to keep his mouth shut.

"The head is…all you…the shoul…." Between the sounds coming off of the machines, and her cries and thoughts, Soi could hardly hear anything. Everything was coming out in bits.

"What?"

"I said that head is out. Once you're past the shoulders, it's smoothing sailing. Just keeping pushing." Soi did the only thing she could do, she pushed. After a few more pushes and several grunts, Soi's body felt lighter. Her head fell back on the bed as she took several deep breaths. "Very good." Wanabi and another doctor gave the new born a quick examination before handing him to his mother. Every second the baby was away from Soi was pure torture. She wanted the baby in her arms, but knew he needed to be looked at. Then she started wondering why her little one wasn't crying, but the sweet screams of her lovely baby calmed her. "Congratulations," he said as he handed Soi her most prized possession. "It's a boy."

"What," she question between amusement and excitement. The doctor gently placed the new born in his loving mother's arms. Soi looked at her newborn son with all the love in the world. "A boy? Why did you have to prove me wrong," she cooed. The newborn had skin almost like his mother's. It was several shades lighter, but still tinted. His very tiny ringlets were also like his mother's. It was the same color, but his curls were much looser. As for his face, aside from the eyes, he looked like his father. He was utter perfection. "Kazuki. My sweet little Kazuki." She held the baby as close to her as she could without smothering him. "My baby. My sweet little man." When Soi's younger cousins were born, she would make sure to shush them immediately, to keep them from screaming. Although she loved their laugh, she hated it when they cried. Now, that's all she wanted to hear. Kazuki was too young to laugh, but he could cry for hours on end. That melodic, high pitched sound was enough for the new mother.

"Look at that," Ichirou said as he leaned closer to the baby. "It's a boy. Awesome." On the other side of Soi, Kouki remained silent. There was a mixture of anger and love for the child. He wanted it dead, but wouldn't dare harm the boy.

While Soi marveled at the magical bundle in front of her, the bright medical room began to spin. A familiar feeling began to fill her up and she knew what was coming. "I love you, Kazuki. Mommy loves you." The pain started small, like butterfly kisses, but escalated at a pace that was enough to send Soi overboard. She begged her body not do this too her, but it had other planes. She wanted, needed more time with her body, but fate seemed to have other plans.

One of the machines connected to Soi started beeping erratically. Her arms started to go limp, but Ichirou snatched the baby before he could fall. "What's wrong with her," he asked hysterically as he took several step away from her. Soi's body began to involuntarily flail as a tremendous pain washed over her. It was much more painful than anything she had ever felt before, even childbirth. Several of the doctors covered their ears as the sound of her screams echoed through the small room. "What's wrong?"

"Her kekkei genkai is kicking in," Wanabi said as he rummaged through one the medical bags he brought in with him.

Kazuki's screams grew louder from all the noise, but Ichirou didn't dare move. Kouki, still clinging to Soi's hand, watched Wanabi like a hawk. "Help her. Now!"

"I'm trying to find-"

"She's dying!" Mother and son's screams mixed together, making the room one giant echo hall. "Get the baby out of here, Ichirou."

"But-"

"Leave!" Ichirou took one final look at Soi before exiting the room. Although Soi couldn't see the blond leave with her baby, she could tell the infant was gone back the lack of his screams. She wanted so badly to be able to call for Ichirou to bring Kazuki back, but she couldn't form any words. All she could do was scream. "The cure, give it to her." Kouki's voice was frantic. He didn't know if she could be angry, worried, or both. "You have to save her."

Wanabi ignored the man's cries and continued doing what he was doing. When he finally found what he was looking for he rushed over to an I.V. that was connected to her. The needle Wanabi was holding was full with a yellow tinted liquid. He injected it into her I.V. and watched it flow through the tube and into her body.

Soi's involuntary flailing and high-pitched screams lasted for a few more minutes before slowly dissipating. Her body was covered in sweat and she felt like she had just been running for two weeks straight. The world around her was still blurry, but she tried her hardest to grasp onto reality.

"Soi," Kouki whispered into her ear in an attempt to sooth her. "I'm here."

"Kakashi?" Her voice was weak, but hopeful. Kouki didn't answer at first, but replied in the negative. "Kakashi…please come find me…" The tight grip she had on his hand loosened as she slowly slipped into the land of darkness.

Kouki's eyes instantly landed on Wanabi, but the doctor wasn't paying attention to the shinobi. "Is she…dead?"

"No. She's just sleeping. She's going to be out for a while."

"What did you give her?"

"The cure. Or what we have of it so far."

Kouki looked back at the sleeping woman beside him. To him, she looked like an angel asleep on a cloud instead of a pain stricken woman covered in sweat and blood. "Thank you," he said softly. "For everything."

"I know that you want to stay, but I'm going to have to ask you to leave. We need to clean her up and check her over. Azullin," Wanabi called over his shoulder. "Will you go check on the baby?" A masked doctor nodded before exiting the room.

Kouki watched the mysterious doctor go before turning back to Soi. Ever so gently he whipped away stray strands of her hair that clung to her forehead. With all the love he could muster he bent down to her level and place a gentle kiss on the woman's lips. "I love you," he whispered before kissing her again.

It took Kouki several moments to pull himself away from his love and leave the room. Once he was gone, Wanabi moved to Soi's head started whipping off the sweat on your face. As he looked down at her, he couldn't help think about the events that were about to come. "I hope you're ready for this."

/\/\

AN: I think I just made my self never want to have kids….


	31. Breaking Free

"Spoken" _Thought/Flashback/Dream_ **Writing **

Chapter 30: Breaking Free  
>(During Chapter 25)<p>

Three days. For three days, Soi had been sleeping. For three days, Wanabi had been pumping the sleeping woman full of the so called cured. For three days, Kouki and Ichirou would bring Kazuki around in hopes that his crying would wake the Konoha shinobi. Wanabi expected Soi to remain asleep for at least a week, but she was never one to take the easy road. She always had to get things done quickly and this was no exception.

Wanabi was doing his hourly checkup on his only patient when Soi emerged from her slumber. "Oh, thank Kami. I'm so happy that you finally woke up."

"Me too," the weak kunoichi said with an unsteady voice. It took her a second to register where she was, but it didn't take her long to realize what was missing. "Where's Kazuki?"

"Right next to you."

Soi looked to her left, found nothing, then looked to her right. Kazuki was sleeping in a small, bed high crib next to her. There were wires and pads connected to him that were linked to a machine. "What are these for?"

"To monitor his vitals while I'm not in the room."

Panic filled the new mother as she looked at her seemingly perfect child. "Is he sick?"

"No, no. He's fine. It's just a precaution." Soi smiled at the news, but couldn't taker her eyes off of her baby. "Here." Wanabi moved to the other side of Soi's bed and gently lifted the infant and placed him in his mother's arms. "He's was born at 22 inches long and 8.2 pounds. Perfectly health."

Happy tears filled Soi's eyes as she looked at her son with more love than anyone would think was possible. "Of course you're perfect," she coed. Kazuki stirred a bit in his sleep, but did not wake. Soi wanted to wake him just to see what color his eyes were or to hear him cry, but something familiar struck her. She began to feel nauseas, a clear sign of what was about to come. Ever so gently, she put Kazuki back in his crib and prepared for the worst. Wanabi caught onto what was happening and injected her with the cure. After a few minutes the unpleasant feeling went away and Soi felt normal again. "Thank you."

"You don't need to thank me."

The happy mother gave her loving doctor a smile before looking back at her son. She was always told that a mother's love was unyielding. That nothing could ever break a mother's determination to protect her child. The moment she discovered she was pregnant, she knew that to be true, but even more so that there was living proof next to her. "How much time do I have left?"

Wanabi ran a shaky hand through his white hair. "I'm not sure. I've had to give you an injection every 24 hours. It seems to be working, but I can't keep giving it to you without seeing how it reacts with your body while you're awake. There's too much I don't know about it." Soi didn't look at him, but nodded that she understood what he said.

"Do you remember what we talked about?"

"Of course I do, but…do you really plan on going through with this?

Soi pulled out all of the tubes that were running through her and let them fall where they may, all except for one. The one she continued to hold blew up into thousands of little pieces. "I'm sure. Did you tell the others?"

"Yes. Everyone knows to look out for you."

"Good." With her ability back in action and under control, Soi felt almost as good as she use to. She slid off of the bed and stood on two wobbly legs. Once she regained her balance, Soi took in her appearance. She was wearing long, thin pants and a long sleeve shirt. They were both a matching shade of light blue. Without thinking twice she ripped the pant-legs off of her pants, turning them into shorts, and turn her long sleeve shirt into a short sleeve shirt.

"You don't have to do this."

"Yes I do."

"Let me rephrase myself. You shouldn't do this. You're too weak."

"I am not letting my child stay here. He needs to be with his father…he needs to be safe."

"Soi-"

"Please. Just take him and go." Those last four words were some of the hardest words Soi ever had to say. "Take him out of this horrible place."

"At least let me catch you up on what has happened in the past three days."

Soi gave the older man a cheeky smile before turning her attention back to her son. "What could happen in three days?"

There was a brief moment of silence in the room. If Soi had been paying attention to Wanabi, she would have seen how afraid he was to speak up. "Letsu tried…she tried to kill Kazuki."

Soi's attention instantly snapped back to Wanabi. The deadly, heated glare in her eyes was unreal. Wanabi took several steps back out of fear. "Where is she now?" Her voice was equally as deadly as here glare.

"She…uh…Ichirou killed her." That wasn't the answer Soi was expecting, but it turned her dark mood into a bright sunny day. "She was upset about the cure not being ready in time to save Dingin and wanted to kill Kazuki to hurt you, but Ichirou stopped her. I don't know the entire story, but I guess he…uh, slit her throat. Another doctor did the autopsy while I looked after you. Not that I trust him, but Ichirou has grown attached to Kazuki."

_Flashback  
>Ichirou was, more or less, forced to put down the newborn infant. From the first moment that he held the baby, he was hooked. Those dark brown eyes called to him almost the same way Soi's did. Those eyes were endless and seemed to make the world around him vanish. Kazuki was so much like his mother and he was only a few days old.<em>

_However, during those few days not everyone was happy. Knowing that Soi was still alive and that she gave birth to a healthy baby sent Letsu over the edge. During one of her fits of rage she killed two of the five Iwagakure shinobi she currently had under her control. _

_The first one, a wonderful husband to a local pharmacist and proud father of three, suffered from hypothermia. Letsu would freeze him, thaw him, and then do it all over again until he stopped breathing. The second one did not suffer as much. He was killed during a momentary fit of rage. Letsu caught a glimpse of Ichirou holding his so called nephew, took out a kunai, and stabbed the Iwa shinobi in the temple._

"_Give me that baby," the blue-eyed woman yelled as she stormed after Ichirou. The blond seemed to not have heard her, which only fuelled her anger. "Give him to me!" Her fingers did a familiar dance and summoned three small ice snakes._

_The first snake sank its frozen fangs into Ichirou's ankle, making him stopped to see what had happened. As he was looking down the other two snakes took their opportunity to strike. One wrapped its long body around the blond's neck, while the other bit into his wrists. Ichirou let out a frustrated grunt as his body collided with the wall. He tried to hold onto the baby as best as he could, but the snake on his wrist was digging its fangs deeper into his skin until his hands involuntarily opened, dropping the baby._

_The snakes on Ichirou's ankle and wrist released themselves as the baby tumble to the ground. Before the baby could tough the stone floor the snakes sprang for the infant as if he as their meal. The mixture of cold ice and razor sharp fangs against the babies skin instantly started another round of howling. Kazuki's voice echoed off of the coble walls while his little limbs flailed about. Blood poured out of the infant like a waterfall. Warm, crimson liquid formed a disfigured halo around the baby._

_Letsu's cold, tactical gaze was fixed on the bay as she slowly bent down to pick him up. As she brought the infant closer to her, her snakes continued their work. They released their bloody fangs from the baby and returned to Ichirou. One of them dug its sharp fangs into Ichirou's left eye while the other took the opportunity to shove its hard body down the blond's throat as he screamed. After a few moments of struggling, Ichirou fell to the ground with a hard thud. As the air slipped from his lungs, the snakes melted into helpless puddles of water. _

_Vengeful eyes glared at the screaming child with pure distain. "It's not fair," she whispered. "You shouldn't be here." Letsu's delicate lips parted just enough to hum the child a deadly lullaby. To an outsider, it would have looked like she was shush the child, but she was actually doing something much more cruel. Her siren song flowed through Kazuki's ears with the greatest of ease, telling the boy to close his mouth and his lungs. As she commanded, Kazuki stopped his crying and his breathing. His pink tinted cheeks began losing their warmth until they were almost as cold as Letsu's heart. A sadistic, satisfied smirk crossed her face at the looked upon Kazuki with joy. "Not it's time for your mother." Her arms parted as her hands loosened their hold on the dead baby. The heartless woman turned from the infant's small, dead body as it collided with the ground._

_Letsu did not make it three steps away from the bodies before an incredibly sharp pain pierced her chest. She looked down to see blood streaming out of a gash centered in the middle of her chest. "Wha…what?" Her answer was another, more deadly slit. A deep slash started from one end of her throat and ended on the other side. _

_Blood flowed down her porcelain neck and splattered on the floor. She desperately tried to cover the deadly wound, but to no avail. Her body hit the floor just as hard as the two people who fell before her. Ragged breaths flew in and out of her as the world around her began to switch. Although her world was blurry, she could still tell the difference between what is before her and what wasn't._

_She knew for a fact that she killed Ichirou not even ten minutes ago, but familiar boots began materializing in front of her. Air continued escape the blue woman as she tried to understand what was going on. "You should have just let go of your anger, Letsu." Ichirou's voice was menacing, even Soi had never heard him sound so hateful. _

_The woman's eyes widened for a fraction of a second before relaxing slightly. Blood continued to flow out of her, but the air no longer coursed through her. "At least you can be with Dingin now."_

_Ichirou looked at the bloodied woman at his feet. There was no pity in his eyes, only indifference. Kazuki was sleeping soundly in his arms, none the wiser about the danger he was in moments ago. It had been a while since the ex-shinobi had to use his genjutsu, especially one as realistic as the one he just created. He dropped the blood stained kunai in his hand and continued walking to medical wing._

_When he reached his destination, Wanabi was writing something in a folder as he checked the machines that were hooked up to Soi. "Wanabi, will you take of the little man for a few minutes?" The doctor tore his eyes away from his notes long enough to catch a glimpse of the mess in front of him. Ichirou was clutching Kazuki to him in a soft, loving embrace. His once heated demeanor was replaced with his typical carefree manner. _

_Wanabi rushed over to the child and started checking him over. "Where is he hurt?" _

"_No worries. It's Letsu's blood." Wanabi looked back at Ichirou as he took a few steps back. "I have some cleaning up to do, so I'll leave him with you for a bit." Before exiting the room, Ichirou leapt to his sister's side, gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, then bolted for the door._

_Ichirou ran through the halls of the bunker looking for his unsuspecting victims. He knew that two out of five of Letsu's puppets were already dead, but he need to get rid of the remaining three. Now that Letsu was dead, he had about ten minutes before the remaining Iwa shinobi realized that they were not where they should be. Unfortunately for them, Ichirou knew where they were. One was stationed by the giant metal door that allowed access to the outside world and the remaining two were hidden in the trees outside of the bunker. Five minutes later, all three shinobi were slaughtered._

_After the slaughter, Ichirou set out to get rid of the bodies. After retrieve some rope from inside the bunker, he carried the bodies to the beach one by one. It was a cold day with an unpleasant breeze, so no one from the surrounding villages would be out by the water. Ichirou tied the bodies together before dragging them out into the ocean._

_To him, it was if he was taking a walk in the park, but the park was wet and full of fish. One free hand was in his pocket while the other was holding onto a long strand of rope, the bodies floating behind. About twenty minutes, the blond's feet stopped their movement. He was far enough away from land to not be noticed, but close enough that it wouldn't take him long to run back. The water under his feet was red and he could see large black figures under the water quickly coming to the surface. "Sorry boys. I wish it didn't have to be this way." The rope fell the Yamanka's hands before he dashed back to shore, leaving the bodies to the mercy of the creatures of the sea._

_Once his dirty deed was done, his mind wandered to Letsu's remaining puppet, Guy. Although he had a tendency to pray in harsh times, there wasn't a deity in particular he spoke to. However, he was thankful that he didn't have to kill Guy. Ichirou had always respected the hyper jounin and would be crushed if he had to terminate him. At this point, he was truly thankful for Letsu's charming voice. No one ever remembers what happens what they've done under Letsu's spell. Guy should count is lucky stars. If he had remembered where Ichirou and the others were…well, Ichirou would have to do something about that. No one was going to take Soi and Kazuki away from him. No one.  
>End Flashback<em>

Soi picked up the sleeping baby and held him close. A single tear escaped her as she place a delicate kiss on her son's cheek as she silently thanked her old friend. "I love you. Oh, Kami, do I love you." Her lips pressed against Kazuki's forehead in what could be the last kiss she ever gave him. As she handed her son to the one person she trusted in this place, her heart began to shatter. "Please take care of him," she choked out.

Wanabi took the infant in his arms as he watched the curly haired woman proceed to the door. "Soi-"

"Don't look back. No matter what you hear, keep running."

The old doctor took several shaky breaths before doing as he was asked. He picked up a large black satchel that he had hidden under her medical bed the day Kazuki came into the world. It was full of notes, wraps, needles, and other medical equipments, most importantly the cure. Soi moved out of the way as Wanabi made his way to the doorway. She didn't look at either Wanabi or Kazuki as the stepped passed her and into the wall. "Be safe." With those simple, yet painful words spoken, Wanabi turned from the room and vanished down the hall. Soi was tempted to watch them go, but knew she would follow if she did.

Soi didn't move from her position in the doorway until she could no longer hear Wanabi's footsteps. Even then, she waited ten more minutes before going anywhere. "I love you, Kazuki." Tears threatened to spill down her face, but she wouldn't let them fall. From this point on she couldn't afford to feel anything. She was no longer the kind, sarcastic Soi, but the one that was legendary. She was the Reaper, the Silence. Her body was still stiff from her three days of sleep, but she shrugged it off.

Her back was turned in the direction were Wanabi and her son disappeared. It took her a moment to get use to the feeling of walking fast, but her body began waking up with every stride. As her feet moved faster, her mind raced with excitement. It had been a long time since she had a good fight and this proved to be the ultimate one.

The bunker was a massive labyrinth filled with dead ends. After living in her stone prisons for months, she knew which halls she could destroy without bringing the entire place down. The scientists and doctors had their own wing, which she made sure to stay away from.

When she reached the north wing, the wing that housed her and her captors, Soi placed her hands on the walls on either side of her. She had complained a few times that the halls were too small, but now she was thankful for it. Instead of the fast pace walk she had been doing early, she went for a full out sprint.

Large cracks in the wall followed behind the quick moving shinobi. Bits of rock fell from the walls before it fell down completely. She zig-zagged through the cold hallway until she reached the large common area. Screams of panic found there way to her from the medical wing. Not that the other doctors and scientists knew that the plan was in actions, she could do the rest of her job without having to worry about them. With Letsu and her puppets dead, the main exit was left unguarded. It was practically begging to be used.

_Flashback: The plan Soi and Wanabi concocted at the end of chapter 27  
>"After I give birth, I'm going to take this place down."<em>

"_How do you plan on doing that? Even if the cure works, you'll be too weak. And who knows if you'll be able to use your ability or not."_

"_Then let's hope that the cure will work," she said with a smile. "Listen, Dumpling can't stay here and neither can you. After I die there is no telling what Kouki might do. I need to know that Dumpling is safe…that you'll be safe."_

"_Soi-"_

"_More importantly, I need to remind my brothers why I'm not the type of person to be messed with. I've been to easy on them for far too long."_

"_What do you plan on doing?"_

"_If the cure works and I can still use my kekkei genkai, then I'm going to blow this place to bits. If my ability doesn't work, then…I'll figure something out."_

_The smug look on her face made Wanabi question her sanity. She intended to destroy a large underground base, by herself, after giving birth? She was out of her mind. "What about Kouki and Ichirou?"_

"_They're going with it." One of her tender hands traced lazy circles over her stomach. Her eyes seemed to drift on in time, someplace where she use to be happy. "The three of us use to be happy. We were our own family…I loved them like brothers…then everything changed. They changed. I lost my friends, my home, and my love because of them. If it wasn't for the Hokage and Tsunade-sensei, I would've lost my family too. I can't live like this anymore. I'm not going to let them continue ruining my life."_

"_Well, what about the other's who are trapped here?"_

"_I need you to tell them, but be quiet about it. Let them know what I have planned and that they should head for the exit when they hear explosions. I'll make sure the exit is clear before I start destroying things."_

_Wanabi weighed the pros and cons of Soi's ridiculous plan. Although he longed for freedom, he was extremely afraid of taking it. "I'm not sure about this. It seems too dangerous."_

"_I'm a shinobi. Danger is my life. Listen, all I need you to do is tell the other and take Dumpling out of this place. I'm from Konoha. You know where that is, right?"_

"_I may have been stuck in here for months, but I know where Konoha is."_

_It took Soi a moment to realize what she said. "Oh, yeah, of course you would. Ignore my momentarily laps into stupidity," she said with a chuckle. "His father is Hataki Kakashi. He shouldn't be that hard to find with that messy silver hair."_

"_Hataki? The copy-ninja?"_

"_The one and the same."_

"_And the two of you are married?"_

"_Happily married."_

_This new information baffled the doctor. He had overheard Kouki and Ichirou talk about the legendary shinobi, but it was never anything good. "May I ask why Kouki doesn't like him? At least I don't think he likes your husband."_

_A strained; yet annoyed chuckle escaped the kunoichi as she made a mental list of all the reasons Kouki hated her husband. "I guess it started when we were kids."  
>End Flashback<em>

Soi's next destination was the storage wing. The only things that were in there old boxes filled with who knows what. Obviously nothing anyone would miss.

_How long is it going to take for them to find me,_ she thought to herself.

To her great pleasure she didn't have to wait long.


	32. Fight For Freedom

AN: It's time for me to give props to where props are due. Eclair Designs has been kind enough to draw some fanart for this fic. Go check out her work rendition of Soi and the other amazing work she has done. .com/

Thank you very much Eclair!

"Spoken" _Thought/Flashback/Dream_ **Writing **

Chapter 31: Fight For Freedom  
>(During Chapter 25)<p>

Soi's POV  
>My entire world was tinted in one dark hue, red. Ichirou stood in front of me, confusions written all over his face. "Soi, what's going on? What are you doing out of bed?" I honestly hope he wasn't looking for an actual answer. After all this time, after everything I've said, if he couldn't figure out how I feel then he really is stupid. "Let me take you back to bed."<p>

He approached me slowly, like I was some kind of deadly animal. Smart choice, but he shouldn't have come near me at all. Every step he took towards me was a step closer to his death. He place both of is hands on my shoulders and slowly slid them down my arms. "You're freezing." I don't know how I kept from smirking, but the fear and shock I saw in his eyes were priceless. I loved that look almost as much as I loved dancing in the rain. I had forgotten in my years of retirement how much I enjoy knowing that I am feared. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Stupid question. His fear filled face knotted into one of indescribable pain as he backed away from. He tried to hold his arms, but his fingers were contorted in all different directions. Come to think of it, I don't think he's ever been on the receiving end of my attack. Maybe I shouldn't have started small. Broken fingers are one thing, but I should've broken his arms.

"Why did you do-" Before he could finish, my fist found the side of his face. I can pack one hell of a punch when I'm not trying, but it's so much more fun when I add a little bit of "power" to it. A broken jaw is wonderful, but a destroyed jaw is even better. Bits of bone were sticking out, which brought a tremendous smile to my face.

"You look good like that," I cooed as I watched him struggle. Blood was dripping from him in such an amazing way. I probably shouldn't be taking this much satisfaction in killer a person, but whatever. "I'm assuming that hurts." I'm sure he would've said yes if he could, but he was to busy make a scream, muffling sound.

A familiar lightheadedness started washing over me. How he thought he was going to win this little debacle, I don't know, but no amount of genjutsu was going to save him. The world around me started tow twist into and endless sea of darkness. He had used this technique a few times before. He'd turn the battlefield dark, then create bloodthirsty monsters to disorient the enemy. Once the target is off his game, Ichirou moves in to strike. He really should try something that I haven't seen before.

My fingers flew at a light fast pace to summon my morefiery side. A large fireball flew from my mouth and illuminated my dark surroundings. Although I couldn't see anything, I knew my fire collided with my target. The screams of agony were a good hint to that.

The darkness around me evaporated as the smell of burning flesh filled hit me. I never liked the smell, but it told me that I was doing a good job. Ichirou was writhing in pain on the ground before me. I couldn't help but feel satisfied with my work. He was broken, bloody, and burnt.

I put my fingers back on the wall, my eyes never leaving my pray. I pressed just enough of my chakra into the wall to make it explode. Most of the debris fell on the burning man before me, but the bits that hit me turned into dust as it collided with my skin. Now he was broken, bloody, burnt, and buried and I couldn't be happier. Well, I could and will be, but I have one more person to get rid of.

"One down, one to go." Without so much as a goodbye, I turned my back on the fallen warrior. I walked out of the storage wing, destroying it as I go, and made my way back to the common room.

My next stop was the dinning hall. Considering I was buried under dirt for several months, the food here was pretty good. Destroy the small area didn't take long, thankfully. I wanted to get out of here as quick as possible. I could already feel my body slowing down and I wasn't even done killing people yet. Kami, this self killing body thing is so frustrating.

"Come out, come out wherever you are," I shouted through the halls as I made my way back to the common room. "Where the hell is he?" That was a silly question. He had to be in the medical wing. That was the only place I hadn't destroyed. "Kouki, I know you can hear me. Come play with me." My answer was silence. Jerk. The one time I want him around is the one time he wouldn't come when called.

More broken rocks crumbled behind me as I proceeded through the halls. Lights flickered above me, mimicking something from a horror movie. The setting seemed appropriate. Life had been a horror movie for the past few months, why not make it look even more like one?

My hands fell from the walls as I walked into a familiar room. It was the room was in not too long ago. My bed was still messy from my slumber and the machines were still on. One of them made this constant annoying sound that drilled into my head. It didn't take me long to kick it over. The constant buzzing was driving me crazy.

"You shouldn't take your anger out on that. All it ever did was try to help you." I knew that voice all too well. I hated that voice.

"It's annoying." I turned to my captor and had the overwhelming urge to smack him. He was leaning on the doorframe, arms crossed, and looked like his heart had been ripped out. His eyes were fixed on me and all I wanted to do was gouge them out. "Just like the man in front of me."

"Where is Ichirou?"

"Taking a nap," I said with all the amount of pride in the world. Had I been asked nine years ago if I ever would've gotten pleasure from killing one of my teammates, I would've said no in a heartbeat. Now, well…now, I'm getting all sorts of sick satisfaction from it.

The hurt in his eyes slowly turned into anger as he realized what I meant. "Why are you doing this?"

Uh, this man is an idiot. "Stop talking. Just…just stop talking." My anger started turning into frustration just looking at him. "You are by far the most….screw this." I flew to the counter to my right and started throwing cotton ball filled glass jars at the man before me. While he was dodging the fly jars, I started rummaging through the drawers until I found what I wanted. A bright, clean surgical knife and several other beautiful sharp objects were looking back at me with glee. They were practically begging me to use them, so I did.

As I picked up a pretty looking scalpel a sharp pain stuck me in the side. One of Kouki's arms was wrapped tightly around my neck while the other was thrusting a kunai into my side. "Why do you keep making me hurt you? Can't you see how much I love you!"

"I. Fucking. Hate. You," I said with all the amount of anger and hatred I could muster.

"Stop saying that!" My trusty scalpel found it's new home in the arm around my neck. Both of his arms retracted at he stepped away from me, but the kunai remain. Years of having kunai shoved into my body taught me one important rule, never take them out. "Why are you doing this? What haven't I given you to make you act like this!"

"I want my husband!" My foot collided with the middle of his chest, forcing him to stumble back and fall next to the bed. "I want my baby!" I sat on his chest, one leg on each side of him, and turned his face into a punching bag. "I want you out of my life forever!" Even though blood was gushing from his nose, it wasn't my best work. I could feel my body slowing down, but I had to hang on. I had to give Wanabi as much time as possible.

Through my rain of punches, Kouki got in a cheap shot. He grabbed the kunai in my side and twisted it, instantly making my cry out. A powerful hand found its way to my throat and forced me onto my back. The cold ground was uncomfortable against my skin, I didn't let it deter me from my goal. "You truly are a bitch, Soi. Nothing is ever good enough for you."

"A bitch, huh? I don't think you've ever called me that before," I joked. One of my hands was trying to pull his arm away while the other was at my side trying to keep Kouki from jerking the kunai further.

"Why wont you love me? Why wont you let us be together?"

"I'm not accustom to being with a psychopath." The kunai in my side slid a bit deeper at my harsh words. I cried out involuntarily, but held on my ground. I had to keep him occupied. I had to keep him away from Wanabi.

"Once I'm through with you, Kakashi and that bastard son of yours are next." That was it. That few words sent me over the edge. I looked into those beautiful eyes and saw only anger. He wasn't joking. If I didn't stop him now, he was going to kill them.

"You'd kill me?"

Hurt flashed through his eyes at my words, but quickly faded. He looked like he was debating if he really would kill me or not. "Maybe we'll have a better chance in the next life." There was never going to be a next life. Not for him. Everything he was, everything he is was going to die here.

I removed my hands from their current positions and brought them to the sides of his face. My thumbs started digging into his eyes, forcing him to withdraw. While he held his head in his hands, I did the only thing I could think of. I broke the one rule that was always supposed to remain in tact.

Blood poured from my side as I removed the kunai. My free hand turned into a fist and connected with his face. His head ricocheted off the leg of the bed, causing him to hesitate for a moment, but that's all I need. I don't know how many times I stabbed him or for how long, but it felt amazing. All of my pent up anger, my frustration, and sadness poured out of me as I watched the crimson liquid spill from him.

As badly as I wanted to continue, my body wouldn't let me. I was tired and felt out of it. Like the world around me wasn't real. I was too weak to keep up my frantic behavior and loosing blood wasn't helping. My hands started shaking as I used the bed to help me stand up. Nausea washed over me, but I suppressed it. I had to stay focused, stay alert.

I looked to my said and saw the broken man beside me. His entire chest was covered in holes and blood. Red liquid fell from his nose and mouth as he coughed it up. His violet eyes were looking up at me, pleading with me. He slowly moved one of his hands to my leg. How he had the energy or the life in him to do it was beyond me.

"Get off of me," I scoffed before kicking my leg free from his grasp. The pain in my side was becoming unbearable as my adrenalin started fading. I wrapped my free hand around it as I proceeded for the door.

When I reached the doorway I heard something that I never thought I'd hear. "D-don't…don't leave m-me. T-tell me…tell me…" His voice was full of desperation, fear, and longing.

My eyes fell to the bloody kunai in my hand. This small metal object in my hand singlehandedly told my entire life story. Part of my family were shinobi, I was raised as a shinobi, I spilled the blood of other and lost half of my live, and all for the sake of my village. I was born a shinobi and I would die as one.

As I was looking at the blade a bright idea popped into my head. I pushed my chakra into the kunai and threw it at the ceiling. The second the tip of the blade collided with the ceiling a deafening booming sound filled the room. Rocks fell from onto to unsuspecting man below. Just like Ichirou, I buried the bastard that dared to ruin my life.

"Huh. That actually worked." Truly, I was surprised. I had never done that before, but I'm happy it worked. My first thought about creating my version of exploding kunai was that it was going to fail. Every time I push chakra into something, it broke or fell apart. But if I push the chakra in differently, the object will explode on contact with another object. And people say you can't teach old dog new tricks.

As I looked at the pile of rubble in front of me a strange realization hit me. I was free. There would be no more looking over my shoulder. No more wondering when Kouki or Ichirou would do something to someone I love. No more pain. I was free.

With a hand still clamped over my wound, I started for the exit. My free hand was on the wall as I walked. Small cracks grew larger as I proceeded down the hall, blood dripping from me as I went. I swear I could smell the sunshine the closer I got to the exit.

When I finally reached the exit, the bright light of the sun almost blinded me. I hadn't been outside since the day Kouki stabbed me and Kami I've missed it.

"Miss Soi." I turned my head to the side to see three men approaching me. They didn't seem to be that much older than me and I felt bad for not recognizing them. Each of them were wearing lab coats and were very pale, probably due to lack of sunlight. "We've come to get you."

"What are you guys doing here? You should be far away from this place."

The one in the middle spoke up. He was tall and had dirty brown hair. I had to restrain my anger as I looked at him. That hair was almost exactly like Kouki's. "We were, but we came back for you. We were with Dr. Wanabi as we ran. There's a village not to far from here. Wanabi is waiting for you."

This news was good enough to make me cry…almost. My baby was safe and free. He was going to see his father. He was going to have a normal life.

I gave the kind men before me a smile before bending down and picking up a small rock. Chakra spilled from my hand and into the rock. My feet took me to the tree line, the doctors watching me as I went. "You should stand over here." The three of them looked between each other, utterly confused, before moving to my side. "Let's try two for two," I said to myself. I threw the rock into the entrance of the bunker. Just like the kunai, the rock and the entrance exploded. The roof of the exit crumbled and fell to the ground, creating a thin wall of dust. The doctors looked between the entrance and I in complete shock. "Yeah, I'm just that awesome." Kami, I love being smug sometimes.

The same brunet that spoke up earlier placed a hand on my shoulder. I flinched slightly, but eased under his touch. "Ma'am, we should go."

"Soi. Just call me…" I couldn't finish my words. I knew I was tired, but I guess I didn't know how tired. The last thing I saw before my world turn black was that man's brown hair. Kami, I wanted to rip it out.

/\/\

AN: FREEDOM! It took her forever, but she finally got it.


	33. Angels

"Spoken" _Thought/Flashback/Dream_ **Writing **

Chapter 32: Angels

(During Chapter 25)

Wanabi's POV  
>She is crazy. That woman is completely out of her mind. It had been a little over an hour since I ran from that horrible place, but it felt much longer. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy to be free from those crazy young men, but I couldn't stop thinking about Soi.<p>

I never told her, but she was the only reason I didn't kill myself when I was trapped. She was my guardian angel. I had thought about ending my life so many times, but her kind gaze always kept me from it. It was because of her gaze that I wanted to make sure she had a healthy baby, she deserved that much. I wanted to make sure her son was reunited with the people who loved him most and, by Kami, I was going to make sure of that.

The second I reached the exit of my prison, I took off running and that's saying something. People my age are not built for running, but my feet never stopped moving. I made sure that I would come through on my promise to Soi.

The younger doctors and scientists caught up with me quickly, which put a slight damper on my spirits. If they could catch up with me so quickly, Kouki or Ichirou could find me just as fast. That is, if Soi wasn't successful.

All of us froze when we reached the top of a steep hill. A few of us cheered while others cried joyful tears. I simply let at a grateful sigh. The sight of the small fishing village below was more precious than air. It was hope.

"May I ask a favor of you," I asked Dr. Zinaza to my left. "I beg of you, please go back to the bunker and wait for Miss Soi."

"Are you crazy," the blond yelled. Zinaza had always struck me as a brave man. I guess I was wrong. "You want me to go back to that Hell hole?"

"Please. She is going to need help. She'll be too weak to run after-"

"I'm sorry, Wanabi. I know you were close with her, but she's on her own." My eyes followed Zinaza and many others as they ran towards the village.

"We'll go," a familiar voice said from other side. Dr. Minozaka and his two assistants were smiling at me. "She stood up for me once. A group of us were eating in the dining wing and I accidentally bumped into her. Kouki said he was going to kill me, but she protected me. I figure I owe her a favor."

I looked between the men with so much happiness that I could feel the tears well up inside me. "Thank you. Thank you so much."

"Don't worry. We'll take care of her."

I was now wandering the streets of the small village. It has been a while since I saw them. Since the moment they left, I had been praying to a god, that I had given up in long ago, that they would get there in time and Soi would still alive.

As I walked I couldn't help appreciate how good Kazuki was being for me. He had woken up when I was running for our lives and he hasn't screamed once. He whimpered a few times, but never anything I couldn't handle.

"Excuse me, sir." A woman and a child, that I assumed to be hers, approached me with confused looks on their face. The woman instantly reminded me of Soi. She was tall, had long brown hair, and had the same dark eyes. "Are you alright?"

The little boy that was with her pulled on her long, dark blue skirt and whispered, "Mom, he's dirty. Leave him alone."

I looked down at myself and laughed. He was right, I was dirty. I was covered in sweat and smelled. "I'm sorry, but can you tell me where I am?"

The woman before me looked completely confused but answered me anyway. "You're at Mirukuwa village. Do you know where that is?"

"The Tea Country, right?"

"Yes."

"Ma'am, I really need your help. I need to send a message to Konoha immediately. Do you know where I can mail a letter?"

Her charming smile, under normal circumstances, would've clamed me, but this was an urgent matter. "I run the carrier pigeon services out of my house. You can use one of them if that will help you." I nodded my head vigorously, hoping to send a letter as quickly as possible. "Ok, follow me."

"Mom! Didn't you always tell me not to talk to strangers?" Her son looked quite putout with his mother's decision. It was cute, but also very annoying. I had work to do and he was slowing me down.

"Yes, but I also told you to always help others."

The woman introduced herself as Kitozo Shinza. She and her son, Sono, live in a small beach house just outside of the village. On our way to her home I told here everything that had happened. She was so shocked at my words that I thought she was going to pass out.

"I know that I am asking a lot of you, but the young woman I was taking care of should be coming this way at any moment."

"What does she look like?"

"Tall, tan skin, curly hair-"

Shinza tapped her son's shoulder and pointed in the direction of the village. "Sono, run back to the village and wait for her."

The young man glared at his mother before stomping his foot in the sand in protest. "But mom-"

"No buts. Go." It was obvious that the boy was upset, but he did as he was told.

"Miss Shinza, I can't thank you enough for your help."

"No thanks are necessary." In no time at all, we reached her home. There were pigeon cages at the back of the house, but I paid them no mind. I want Kazuki to sleep before I send the letter. Shinza escorted me to the living room, where I was more than happy to sit down. "Why don't you let me take him? I'll put him down for a nap while you send you letter."

Instinctively, I clutched Kazuki closer to me. "If it's alright with you, I'd like to wait until Soi gets here. That way I can tell the Hokage if she's…alive or not."

"Of course. There is a bathroom upstairs if you would like to freshen up. I can give you some of my husband cloths to change into. I think I have a few of Sono's old baby cloths up in the attic."

"Thank you, very much." I leaned back into her slightly worn couch and sighed. My body slowly relaxed into the comfortable cushions as my eyes started to close.

"If you would like to rest until your friend gets here, I can show you to the guest bedroom." I mauled the idea over in my head before agreeing with her. I may be smelly, but I was also very tired. "Here, give him to me. I'll clean him up and get him dressed." It took all of my willpower to hand over Kazuki. As kind as Shinza was being, I wasn't sure how much I could trust her. Sine the moment he was born, Kazuki took precedence over everything in my life. He was my treasure, my reason for being. I had to do what was best for him and what was best was making sure he was taken care of.

"Please be gentle with him. He's more important than you'll ever know."

"I will," she said softly. Shinza gave me a kind smile as she took him from me. I felt empty the second he left my arms. I wanted to grab him, to get him back, but a voice in the back on my mind told me to trust her.

Shinza escorted me to the guest bedroom on the second floor. There was a thin, red paper screen in the middle of the room, which blocked the view of the bed. "I'll bring you a change of cloths once I clean him up and put him to bed."

"Can he stay in here with me? I just want to keep him close." The little voice in my head that said I could trust her vanished when I thought about him leaving my sight. I wasn't ready for him to leave me yet.

"Of course," she said with a smile as she handed back to me. I think she caught on to my hesitation. Don't hesitate to call for me if you need anything." Shinza gave me one more smile before vanishing into the hall. I moved to the door to close it, but left it open just a crack. I wanted be able to hear where she was at all times.

The bed at the other end of the room called for me. I had gotten little sleep since Soi went into labor. If I wasn't checking on her I was keeping an eye on Kazuki. Ichirou had the baby most of the time, but I made sure that Ichirou stayed close to Soi's room. I don't know where I got the confidence to tell him what to do, but he followed my orders. Probably because I told him that I needed to stay close to the infant to monitor him, but I didn't question it at the time.

There was a creaking sound above my room. My eyes instantly flew to the ceiling. The sounds of footsteps moving over my head made me remember of what Shinza had said. She was probably looking for some of Sono's baby cloths.

I could feel my old bones rub together as I made my way to the bed. Everything in the bunker, except for the medical wing, was cheap, especially the furniture. My cot was bumpy and terribly uncomfortable unlike the bed I was currently resting on. It was warm, soft, and put me to sleep in moments.

I'm not sure how long I had been sleeping, but I was completely disoriented when I woke. Kazuki was sleeping soundly next to me in a bright blue onesie. Shinza was nudging me awake. Her face was a mixture of delight and fear. "Dr. Wanabi, these men are bringing your friend to the house."

For an old man, I can move when I need to. "Take Kazuki. I'm going to attend to Soi." Shinza nodded her head and gathered Kazuki in her arms. I was still in the cloths I was in early, but didn't care. Dirty or not, I was going to look after my patient.

I flew down the steps and out the front door just in time to see Sono, Dr. Minozaka and his assistants carrying Soi into the house. "What's wrong with her?"

"She's lost a lot of blood. I'm not sure she's going to make it."

"Yes she will. She's a fighter. Bring her inside, to the second floor." I stepped aside and watched the men as the carried my angel into the house. Shinza pointed them in the direction of the guest room as I followed close behind. "Shinza, Sono and Kazuki should stay downstairs." She nodded to me before escorting Sono back downstairs but of course the young boy protested. He said he wanted to stay and watch, but she wouldn't have it.

As the doctors placed Soi on the bed, I rummaged through the black satchel I brought with me. It's a good thing that I came prepared. I pulled out an IV and tubing. "Minozaka, can you hook this up to her then find something to prop it up with." Minozaka nodded before doing as I asked.

The next thing I pulled out was disinfectant and equipment to stitch her wound together. "Young man," I said to one of Minozaka unnamed assistants. "I need you to clean and stitch the wound. Can you do that?"

"Yes doctor," he said before taking the materials from me and getting to work.

"What about me," the other assistant asked.

"I need you to go downstairs and get a cold compress. She's burning up and we have keep her cool." Just as obedient as the others, he ran out the door and down the steps.

Once the words were out of my mouth I started rummaging through the bag again. I pulled at a small syringe full of the one liquid that I'm sure would save her life. I had already given her, her daily dose of the cure, but after what she went through I'm sure she needed more.

Beads of sweat had formed on her face and arms. Her body was almost too hot to touched, but I pushed through. It always hurt when I lost a patient, but I was determined not to lose her. I couldn't lose her. "Don't worry, Soi. Everything is going to be ok."

"Wanabi, I'm going to find something to hang the I.V. on. Can you hold it until I get back?"

I took the I.V. without answering. I didn't even look at Minozaka as he left the room. The only thing I could do was look at Soi. Even during her pregnancy, I never saw her this fragile. There were deep, dark circles under her eyes and her breaths were few and far in between. Blood covered her entire body and chunks of rubble were stuck in her hair. My poor angel, she was a mess.

"Miss Shinza gave me these to put on her," the assistant said as he and Minozaka came back into the room. He was carrying a large bowl full of ice water and several cloths. As he placed the damps cloths on Soi, Minozaka took the IV from me. There was a small hole at the top of the bag, large enough to put a small hook through. Instead of a hook he pulled out a nail and placed it in the center of the hole. What he did next astounded me. He took the hammer he was carrying and nailed the IV into the wall. I looked upon him with wide, amused eyes. I supposed I would be paying for the mess we were making anyway. I'm sure Shinza wasn't too happy with the trail of blood in her house.

Once Soi was stable and her temperature dropped to my liking, Minozaka and his assistants left. They said they were headed back to Iwa and I had not plans on stopping them. I was happy that they were going home to their families. They deserved it. However, my job wasn't finished. I had to make sure Kazuki and Soi both made it home.

"That's right," I said to myself. "How could I forget?" I went to my satchel and pulled out a small note pad and a pen.

**Please send medical help to Mirukuwa village in the Tea Country. A Leaf shinobi is in dire need of medical care.**

I sat the pad and paper down the second I heard Kazuki cry. I ran to the top of the steps and saw Shinza cradling the boy in her arms. "And hurry." Apparently I came in at the middle of a conversation. "Who knows when he was last fed." Surprisingly with not back talk, Sono ran from the house with seemed to be a wad full of money in his hand.

"Is everything alright," I asked from my spot on the steps.

"Yes, he's just a little hungry. How is she?"

"Stable."

_For now._

Shinza smiled at me as she simultaneously rocked Kazuki. "That's good. I'm sure she'll get better." I gave a brief, forced smile before returning to the room.

As I bent down to pick up my notepad I noticed something about my letter. There was more written on it.

"Is he ok," a strained, but familiar voice asked from my side. I glance up from my pad to see a strained smiled on Soi's face, but there was something different about her. It was here eyes. They were distant, almost lifeless. "I heard him crying."

I tried to hold back my tears, but I wasn't strong enough. She was awake and talking. "He's fine. Just a little hungry."

"Has he been a good boy?"

"Yes. How do you feel?"

"Tired."

"That's…expected. I'm going to find you something to eat, but please don't worry. I'm going to take good care of you and Kazuki."

She continued to smile at me as her eyes slowly closed. "I never doubted that." I couldn't help my tears. This was just too much for an old man to take. She was much to trust to place all of her faith on my shoulders and too kind of a person to die this way.

When I reached the first floor I found Shinza in the living room in a rocking chair. She was singing Kazuki some type of lullaby I had never heard. "Can you send this for me," I asked as I ripped the note from the pad and handed it to her.

"Absolutely." She handed to Kazuki to me and took the note. I knew the note wouldn't reach Konoha for several days. Pigeons were the fastest way to deliver a message, but they had to stop to sleep and eat. Soi may not have that much time, which terrified me.

"Miss Shinza," I said as she almost disappeared out the door. "Thank you so very much for everything. You are a true angel." My reply was a simple, heart warming smile.


	34. Together Again

"Spoken" _Thought/Flashback/Dream_ **Writing **

Chapter 33: Together Again

Kakashi's POV  
>My heart almost stopped when the Hokage told me about the letter for two reasons. First, both of them were alive, hopefully. Second, I had son. A boy. For all we knew, this could have been a hoax, but I was willing to give it a try. Even if there was the slightest chance Soi and Kazuki were alive, I was going to take it.<p>

I could see the hope in the Hokage's eyes, but there was also doubt. "Take anyone you need and go. Don't bother with any of the formalities." After giving me permission to pick my own team, I was off. I summoned my pack of dogs and told them who to search for.

"You've got it, Boss." I didn't stay long enough to watch them go, I had other things to take care of.

I darted for the house as quick as my legs could carry me. The front door flew up, leaving a doorknob-sized hole in the wall from banging into it. The first thing I grabbed was a few cloths and a blanket for the baby. I wasn't paying attention to what it looked like, I couldn't care less. I just needed something to keep Kazuki warm.

After grabbing things for the baby I ran to the bedroom and grabbed cloths for Soi. She was going to have to tough it out that I was bringing her sweatpants and a long sleeved shirt. Once I stuffed them into small bag I ran out of the house, not even bothering to lock the door behind me.

When I reached the main gate I wasn't surprised to see everyone waiting for me. I thought I would have to wait a couple of minutes for a few them, but I was grateful that they were already here. Besides Soi's team, Sakura and Sai were here.

"What do you need us for," Ino asked in a dull tone. Ever since Soi was taken, she had become lifeless. Almost nonexistent.

"We might have found Soi." Everyone snapped to attention at that. "I don't have time to explain, but we have to get going. Sai, can you create something fast enough to get us to Mirukuwa village quickly?"

"Yes." I watched him carefully as he scribble on one of his scrolls. In second, three massive ink birds appeared before us.

As we double up on the large birds I discharged all of my dogs except for Pakkun. "Go to the Hokage and tell her that we'll be at the village in less than a day." I hoped that these things could get us there that quickly.

"Mirukuwa in the Tea Country? That's days away."

"Not by birds that don't need a rest. Pakkun, go fill in Gina and the others." Pakkun didn't argue. He nodded and ran off. "Alright, lets go."

I have seen Sai summon the artificial creature many times before, but I've never had the need to riding one. These things were much faster than I thought they would be.

"Alright, tell us about Soi-sensei. What's going on?" Shikamaru seemed hopeful yet agitated. He took Soi's disappearance harder than his teammates. As the wind whipped around us I informed them of the situation. It was little to go on, but at least it was something.

Even though it only took a few hours to reach Mirukuwa, every minute seem like an eternity. The birds were fast, but didn't move fast enough for my liking. We left at 9am, but didn't reach the village until the sun was half way below the horizon.

All eyes were on us when we touched down in the center of the small village. The closest shinobi village to Mirukuwa is miles away. It was obvious that the villages did not receive many shinobi visits, but they were going to have to deal with that.

"We'll split up into three groups and head in separate directions. Whoever finds her is to notify the rest of us. Am I understood?" Everyone nodded their heads before splitting into groups. Ino and Shikamaru headed west while Chouji and Sai headed north. Sakura and I went to the east and stopped everyone we came across.

Everyone we asked either said they had no idea what we were talking about or gave us some crazy story about the village filling up with doctors. That was impossible considering that small fishing villages such as Mirukuwa don't have a hospital, only local doctors. However, I did not completely discredit the fable. Soi had a way of making the impossible, possible.

After about half hour of asking around I started becoming increasingly frustrated. There was no way everyone in this town was oblivious to what I was talking about.

I was officially about to snap when I felt someone pulling on my sleeve. As I turned to yell I noticed that the person who was pulling on me was and older man. He was short, thin, and extremely pale. I'm not sure if he was born the white or never went out in the sun, but it was something he should get looked at. "Excuse me young man, but are you from the Leaf village?"

Was he completely oblivious that they symbol on my forehead protector was of a leaf? "Yes," I said flatly.

There was a hint of joy on his face, but also a bit of concern. "You wouldn't happen to be looking for a young woman, would you?"

All the air in my lungs turned to hard lumps of ice. Either I was having the best luck of my life or I was getting played, but no matter what this man had the answers I was looking for. "Yes. Do you know where she is?"

The man looked me over quickly; I haven't the slightest idea what for. "You wouldn't happen to be Hataki Kakashi, would you?"

Why wasn't this man answering my questions? "Yes, but where is the Soi? Do you know where she is? Is she alive?" A fresh round of tears poured out of them, but I had no time for sympathy. "Can you tell me where she is or not?"

"She's been waiting for you." My mind went blank at his words. She was waiting? She was alive? Was the baby? None of this made sense, but that was Soi's way. Nothing made sense when it came to her. "Please follow me."

The older man scurried off towards the beach and I followed close behind. "Sakura," I called over my shoulder. She was currently interrogating a young couple, but stopped when I called for her. "This way." It only took her a running start and a few large jumps to catch up to us.

In no time we reached a small house on the edge of the beach. A young boy was cleaning out pigeon cages that were located at the back of the house. When he caught sight of us his eyes grew wide and he smiled with excitement. "Cool! Real shinobi. Mom! Hey, mom! There are ninja here."

A woman emerged from the back door. "Oh my," she whispered to herself when she caught sight of us. I had to remember that these were small town people. They weren't use to seeing people like Sakura and I.

The older man escorted us through the small house and up the steps. To the right of the stares was a closed door. "I'm going to have to ask you to not speak loudly. She is very weak and sensitive." Sakura and I nodded to the old man in conformation. The unnamed stranger turned the doorknob with the greatest of care. The room was pitch dark, which quickly dampened my spirits, but he flick on a dim light to illuminate the way. There was a red paper curtain in the middle of the room, which block my view of the rest of the small room. "She's right behind there." In my haste I pushed the elderly man out of my and hurried around the curtain.

For four long, painful months I had not the slightest idea if my wife was still alive. I dreaded going to sleep at night, hating myself for taking any time off from looking for her. For four months I had to watch Soi's family lose their sanity and watch her team fall apart, but all of that changed with a small piece of paper.

She was right there, right in front of me, but I couldn't move. Everything seemed so surreal. Her eyes were closed and her lips were slightly parted. She looked peaceful in her sleep, but her body told me a different story. The dark circles under her eyes showed that she wasn't sleeping well and her rigid breathing confirmed that she had trouble breathing. A deep navy blue quilt was lightly draped around her body, making it seem like there was little to her. The quilt covered one of her hands while the other rested beside her face. Her long, curly hair was a complete mess, like it always was when she slept, but acted like a second blanket as it fell around her. But despite her frail appearance she was till the amazingly stunning woman I had known her to be.

Ever so slowly, I moved closer to her. I thought that if I moved to quickly, she might actually disappear. It wasn't until I knelt by her side that I saw what was next to her. Sleeping by her side, slightly hidden by the curtain of curly hair, was the most beautiful creature I had ever laid my eyes on.

"She told me that you didn't know what the sex was, so I guess it's safe to tell you now. The little one is Kazuki," the older man said from behind me.

I have a son…I have a son. No matter how many times I mauled that over in my head, it still seems so strange and wonderful. Soi must have been annoyed that I was right. "Can I hold him?"

"Of course. He's perfectly healthy."

Next to Adatta, this was the first time I had ever held a baby. I was so nervous that I didn't know what to do until Soi's voice floated in my mind. I remembered how she showed me to hold a baby when we were in Iwa. I waited for him to wake up from being moved, but he stayed asleep.

I was never the type to find perfection in something, other than Soi that is, but that's what Kazuki was. He was utter perfection. Besides his face, he looked almost exactly like this mother. He has her hair, her perfect skin, and I'm sure he has her eyes. I wonder if he had her temperament too.

"Kakashi-sensei. Let me see him. I should check him over and make sure he's alright."

"There's no need young miss. I have watched over him and his mother. He is fine, but his mother is a different story."

"Who are you, sir?"

"I'm Dr. Heero Wanabi. I've been Soi's doctor since the day she arrived at the bunker."

"Bunker?"

"Yes. You see, we have been…" I didn't care to listen. All I heard was that he was her doctor and that these two were healthy. That's all I cared for. I made a mental note to thank him once I got Soi back home. And it's a good thing Wanabi had spoken up when he did. I don't think I would've been able to hand Kazuki over to Sakura. Not just yet anyway.

As I cradled my son to my chest, my eyes drifted back over to my wife. She looked like she was in pain and it killed me to see her like that. "Soi," I whispered to her. "Wake up. It's time to leave." Her brows knitted together as she turned her head from me. She obviously heard me, but felt the need to be stubborn. "Wake up, Soi."

"Let me sleep, Wanabi." I didn't bother trying to hide my smirk. She was always amusing when talked in her sleepy daze.

"I'm not Wanabi."

"Let me sleep, Sono."

"I'm not Sono."

My heart almost stopped as I watched her open her eyes. I had waited months to see those beautiful dark chocolate orbs again and seeing them made the entire room seem brighter. She slowly turned her head back to me and blinked a few times. "Kakashi?"

That was it. That was my breaking point. The sound of her voice broke down any wall I had left. She was alive and had returned to me. She beat the odds and lived. "It's me," I whispered. Her pain stricken face brightened slightly as she smiled at me. I adjusted Kazuki so he was perfectly balance in one arm and used my free hand to pull down my mask.

My free hand found it's way into Soi's curly hair as I knelt closer to her. When our lips met I felt the familiar sparks that I always felt when I kissed this magnificent woman. I could feel the passion and longing in her kiss, which I sure she could feel the same for me. It was warm, soft, and vibrant, but that is how a kiss from an angel is supposed to feel. After four long months, I was whole again. No more sleepless nights. No more constant worrying. From now on, there was only peace.

Unfortunately, our kiss was short. She pulled away and took several deep breaths as she tried to pace herself. When she could finally breath properly her brown eyes fluttered open again. "I've missed you," she said softly. I could tell she was trying not to cry, but I knew she would be soon.

"I've missed you too," I whispered back. I was going to say more, but a small fist poked me in the chest. I pulled away just enough to readjust Kazuki. My little one had awoken and seemed to be in the mood to play. The first thing I noticed, besides his natural instant to punch someone, was that his eyes were exactly like hers. At least those eyes were not lost in the genetic mixing pool.

Soi's dark eyes seemed to come to life as she watched me hold him. "So….he's a boy."

"I can see that," I said, my voice thick with amusement.

"At least I got to pick the name."

"But you were wrong."

"I was…was…uh…"

"Wrong." Did she really think I wasn't going to rub this in?

"…at least he looks like me." I scoffed at her change in topic as I pulled my mask back into place. "I wonder if he'll be a perv like his-"

What happened next was enough almost destroy me. I probably would have if Kazuki weren't with me. Never in my life had I heard a scream so defining. I pulled Kazuki closer to my chest to shield him from her thrashing.

"Excuse me," Wanabi said as he and Sakura flew to her side. Kazuki started crying from all of the commotion, so I shushed him the way Soi taught me. Wanabi dug in a black bag and pulled out a small needle.

"What is that?"

"The cure. Or what I have finished of it anyway."

As Wanabi start uncapping the needle, Sakura stopped him from proceeding further. "We've been working on a cure too. Let me try ours."

"I don't think it's a wise idea to mix drugs so soon. I've had longer to work on the cure than you have and I had more information to go on."

"Just do something to make her stop," I snapped. Kazuki's screaming on top of Soi's made me feel useless. I knew next to nothing about babies and the only person who could help me was writhing in pain right before my eyes.

Thankfully, Sakura didn't argue. She held Soi down to make Wanabi's job easier. I watched him carefully has he pumped my wife full her own personal elixir of life. Almost like magic, her pain and crying stop, but Kazuki's didn't.

"Sakura, go find the others and tell them that we're ready to leave."

"Yes, sensei." I noticed the shock on Wanabi's face when he finally registered that she had left the room. Obviously I noticed, she wasn't that fast, but it was amusing to know that our ability still astound civilians.

"Give him your hand," Wanabi offered. "He likes holding peoples hands." I did as suggested. After I readjusted him to one arm I gave him my free hand. Just like Wanabi said, it calmed him down. Strange kid.

"Thank you." Even though the hand trick did relax him, I was a little put off how well Wanabi knew my son. Granted, he has spent more time with him and I have, but it as upsetting. "What about her? Is she going to be ok?" After Wanabi pumped her full of her cure, Soi passed out again. The pain on her faced had vanished, but now she looked exhausted.

"It's hard to tell. The first time I gave her a dose of the cure, she perked up. Now it seems that the more I give her, the weaker she becomes. I need to get back to work and perfect the cure before I what little cure I have has no affect on her."

"Where are you from?"

"Iwagakure." Crap. As of four months ago, Iwakagure and Konoha have been on unpleasant terms. Tsunade was furious with Naomi and at the Tsuchikage for not release the information about Letsu and the missing scientists. Although Naomi told us everything that happened, her confession wasn't enough to set things right. "If you don't mind, could I go back with you? I would like to keep a close eye on Soi and personally be a part creating the final version of the cure."

"I don't see why not, but the final decision belongs with the Hokage."

"I understand." From the corner of my eye I caught a glimpse of a blur outside of the only window in the room. Sakura was running back with the others right behind her.

"I need you to hold him and go outside. My team is back and we're ready to leave. I'll get Soi."

"Be careful when moving her. She had a wound on her side and you have to take the I.V. with her." I nodded to let him know that I understood before handing him Kazuki.

I tucked the dark quilt tightly around my love as I slowly picked her up, completely forgetting that I brought cloths for her. I made another mental note to thank the owner of this house. She put clean cloths on my loved ones and gave them a place to stay. She moaned in displeasure as her head fell rested against my shoulder. "It's ok. I've got you."

"Kakashi." Even in her weakened state, she found the energy to talk in her sleep. "Kakashi."

"Shhh, I'm here."

"Come find me." I didn't know what to feel at that moment. Apparently she had forgotten that I had come for her, but it was understandable. She's been pumped full of drugs that are doing who knows what to her. She's entitled to her delusions. "I don't want to be here."

"Be where?"

"In the dark."

In the dark? Kouki kept her in the dark? I'm going to kill him after I get Soi home. "Don't worry. We're going home." I took the I.V. off of the wall and picked her up as gently as I could, but that didn't keep her from whimpering. I did my best to keep her steady as I walked down the stairs, but I wasn't careful enough. I felt weak every time she moaned in pain.

When I stepped outside Ino had Kazuki in her arms. She was crying, almost hysterically, as she, Shikamaru, and Chouji looked at my boy. Sai had summoned his birds and was ready to go. "You'll need to make another one, Sai. The doctor is coming with us." I didn't get a reply, just a bunch of scribbles on a piece of paper. "You can fly with me," I said to Wanabi as I hopped on one of the birds.

As I mounted the bird I noticed Shikamaru make his way over to me out of the corner of my eyes. He looked relieved to see her, but still very concerned. "Is she ok? Will she make it back?"

"She'll be fine, but we have to hurry." Honestly, I didn't know how long she had. She looked horrible and needed to be in a hospital.

Once we were all settled and ready to go, we took off into the sky. Wanabi was grabbing onto me for dear life the entire trip. Under normal circumstances I would've found it annoying, but I let it go. I tucked the quilt tightly around Soi to keep her warm from the cold night air. Ino had the same idea with Kazuki. Before we took off, she wrapped him in the blanket I brought for him. I didn't have enough time to change them, but there would be time for that when we got back home.

"How much longer until we reach the Leaf village," Wanabi asked from behind me. I understand that it must be scary to be this high up for someone like him, but did he really think that anyone of us would let anything happen to him?

"We'll be there soon."

Several hours later, after having an old man dig his fingernails in my skin to the point where I almost bled, we were finally home. After every mission, I was always happy to return home, but this time was different. I felt like a massive weight had been taken away the second the lights of the village came into view.

Soi stirred in my arms slightly before settling down. "Soi, we're home."

"I want to go home," she said in her daze.

"You are home and you'll never have to leave again."


	35. Coming Home

AN: I was going to wait until next week to update, but I looked at my schedule and realized that it wasn't a good idea. The next few weeks are going to be killer for me, so in order to lighten the load I'm going to post the rest of the story, which is only three chapters. But on the down side, because I'm doing this I wont post the prequel for a couple of weeks (unless something in my life changes). Enjoy.

"Spoken" _Thought/Flashback/Dream_ **Writing **

Chapter 34: Home Again 2

Kakashi's POV  
>It's been a week since I brought her back to Konoha, but she still hasn't woken up. Tsunade-sama said that I should give her time, but time wasn't on our side. Even though the doctors have switched to using Konoha's version of the cure, she hasn't shown any signs of waking up.<p>

But I would stay by her side even if she never woke up, although I truly hope she would. Being in this hospital was driving me crazy. Seeing her laying in that bed, almost lifeless, simply fueled my hatred for this place. Thankfully, I was in good company.

Soi's team and a few of the other chunin have been coming around to see her, Shikamaru more than the others. Next to Gina and myself, he hardly ever left her side. I felt sorry for the kid. He already lost Asuma, losing Soi would destroy him.

As grateful as I was to have everyone around, there was one person who I was truly thankful for. Kazuki had been a good boy through all of this. He slept most of the time and when he was awake, he hardly ever fussed. But that's probably because Gina was helping me out. I spent so much time preparing for a baby, but I never took the time to think about what to do with one. I had thought that Soi was going to be around to help me, but in reality I'm left by myself.

Gina was really a gift from the heavens. She spent every night with Kazuki and I, and watched him during the day. We agreed that Kazuki shouldn't be stuck in a hospital all day, every day. So while I was in this house of death with Soi, he was out enjoying the sun with the rest of his family.

I felt her presence long before I heard her. She came around like clockwork. "Any changes?" I didn't life my eyes from my wife's sleeping face. There was no need.

"No."

She moved to the end of Soi's bed and looked at her chart. "You shouldn't be here, Hatake."

"Where else would I be?"

"At home with your son. He's only a couple of weeks old. He needs his father."

I knew what she was trying to do. She did it every day. During her lunch break, she would stop acting like the Hokage and act more like a concerned parent. But she was right. I should be spending more time with Kazuki, but I couldn't bring myself to leave her side. Besides, I make up for time lost at night, since he hasn't slept though the night peacefully. Not once. Not even close. That kid is going to be more work than his mother.

"She'll have your head, you know. For not spending enough time with him."

"A price I'll gladly pay when she wakes up."

Soi's POV  
>I'm not sure when it happened, but I'm glad it did. I had been floating in the darkness for so long that the bright light of the sun was enough to make me want to sleep some more. And with the light came the pain. Every inch of my body ached like crazy. It wasn't enough for me to feel miserable, but enough that it would hurt if walked around.<p>

After I blinking the sleep from my eyes, my brain slowly started to catch up to what I was seeing. Pale white walls, a large window overlooking a large village, and a sleeping shinobi by my bedside. At first, it all just seemed so strange. That everything was wrong. There were no stonewalls and the sun was actually visible, but what really brought me into reality was the sound of birds singing. That simple sound gave me the best realization I had ever had, I was free. The one thing that didn't go unnoticed was that Kazuki wasn't in the room. Unlike when I gave birth, there was not crib by the side of my bed. Panic shot threw me like lightning, wondering where he could be, but I calmed down as my gaze turned to the sleeping form beside me. As I looked upon the figure with loving eyes, I knew Kazuki was safe. He would never let anything happen to Kazuki.

The person sitting beside me was no ordinary shinobi, it was my husband, my Kakashi, my everything. He was hunched over, which looked really uncomfortable, and his breaths were coming out in a low, even pace. Poor baby, he must be really exhausted if he's willingly sleeping in a hospital.

"The sun is up and you're still sleeping." Before I could get even two words out, Kakashi bolted upright in his chair. I couldn't the small giggle that escaped me. "Good morning."

My love turned his head to look out the window before moving to sit on the edge of my bed. "More like, good afternoon. By the position of the sun-"

"Shut up, Kakashi," I said through another round of giggles. I had been away not even five minutes and we're already trying to top each other's remarks. Oh, it's good to be home.

"That's not nice." I don't care if it was nice. All I cared about was being home. I tried to lift up my arms, hoping that he'd get the hint that I want a hug, but found that I could only move my left arm so far. I slowly put my arms back down as I studied the tubing that ran from my arm to a machine. "Try not to move. You're in better shape than when you first came in, but still not strong enough to move a lot. I'll got tell Tsunade that you're awake."

I watched him get up from my bed and started towards the door. I truly couldn't believe my eyes. Was he really just going to leave me here with out so much as a hug? "Hey," I yelled with much annoyance in my voice. Like the good little dog that he is, he stopped at the door and turned to look at me. "Get over here," I ordered. I made sure that my voice was calm, but commanding. As if I was training a new puppy to sit or speak.

It took him all of two steps to do as he was told. "Aren't you bossy? You just woke up and you're already barking orders."

"I wouldn't have to if you greeted me-"

Ooh, he's good. He's very good. He knew exactly what I was after. I'm not sure if it was because I just woke up or if he had somehow gotten faster during our time apart, but I didn't even see his movements. One moment I was speaking and the next my lips were covered by his.

I can't begin to describe what this man does to me. Every time he touches me, kisses me, it feels like the first time. As if I could do anything, withstand anything, just because of a simple kiss. I'm not sure what he does, but Kami, he does it well. As much as I wanted to stay connected to him forever, I had to pull away. Breathing seemed to be difficult for some reason and it was terribly annoying.

His concerned gaze never left my face as I took long, deep breaths in order to keep myself stable. I took my open opportunity to make one of my famous sarcastic remarks. "Stop trying to take my breath away. What are you trying to do? Kill me?" The look of displeasure I got in return told me that I had crossed the line, but what did he expect? I have a sick sense of humor.

"That wasn't funny, Soi."

"Neither is leaving without giving me so much as a hug."

He rolled his one visible eye before sitting on the edge of my bed again. "Did you really think I was going to leave you?"

"You were cutting it pretty close," I pouted, well, it was more like a fake pout. There was a soft silence between us for a few moments. The two of us simply looked at each other as the rest of the world was forgotten. I was home, I was safe, and I was with him. It didn't take me long before my body started to get antsy. I might have been in pain, but I wasn't use to just sitting around.

"What are you doing," he asked as both of his hand lightly grabbed my shoulders.

"Sitting up."

His hand gently pushed on my shoulders, signaling me to lay back down. "You need to rest and not move so much."

"No, what I need is to sit up," I said flatly.

The little huff of defeat he let out brought a smile to my face. I had won our little battle. Not that sitting up was much of a fight, but it did hurt, not that I would tell him that. "Let me get the nurse to bring you some pillows to lean on," he said as he readjusted his mask.

When his hands left my shoulders, I felt a bit empty. There really wasn't a reason for me to feel that way. He was here, I was here, and we were together. I guess it was because we had been apart for so long that even the distance between us now seemed to be too much.

Before Kakashi would reach the exit, the door swung open, and in walked someone I did not expect to see. "Wanabi," I shouted with glee. I expected him to go back to Iwa after everything he had been through.

"Soi," he said in disbelief as he quickly made his way to my bedside. "You're awake…and sitting up." His head quickly shot over his shoulder and towards Kakashi. "Why is she sitting up? She should be laying down."

Kakashi's eye shot over to me, giving me that knowing look. I could see the small outline of his lips through his mask. The jerk was smirking. "Shut up, Kakashi."

"I didn't say anything."

"It's the look. Shut the look up." Yeah, I have no idea where that came from.

"…what?"

"Just…never mind. Pillows." Without another word he exited my room in search for a nurse, closing the rood as he went. Once he was out of my sight, I turned my attention back to Wanabi, and what I saw struck a major cord in my heart. He looked as if he was about to cry. "Hey, don't cry," I said softly. "It's ok."

One of his hands went to his face, rubbing his forehead as he cast his eyes down to the ground. "I'm so…so happy that you're awake." I didn't know what to say. I wanted to thank him for everything he's done for me, but that didn't seem to be enough. I owed him my life and so much more. After a few moments, he brought his eyes up to me again, but this time he was all business. "You shouldn't be sitting up."

"And you should be back in Iwa? What are you doing here? I thought that you'd want to go home."

"And leave my two favorite patients? Never."

His two favorite patients…well, after what we went through I better be his favorite patient. But thinking back on everything that we've been through, my mind went back to Kazuki. Neither Kakashi nor Wanabi said anything about him. "Um, Wanabi…where is Kazuki?" I was frightened to ask, but I needed to know. I was calm up until that point, but not knowing where he was terrified me.

"With your mother I believe," he said as he walked to the end of my bed and took my medical chart from its holder. "She has grown very attached to him. I don't think she's put him down." I opened my mouth to speak again, but his amused face and chuckle silenced me. "I practically had to beg her to leave the hospital. She didn't want to leave your side. The Hokage had to forcibly remove her, more or less. The same goes for that young man on your team." I didn't bother hiding my grin. Of course mom would put up a fight and there was no doubt in my mind that Shikamaru would want to stay. "In fact, he still might be here."

"Shikamaru's here?" Oh, I'd give anything for him to be here. I've missed him more than I could ever say.

"He comes around every day to see if you're awake, but he knows not to come back past visiting hours anymore."

My small grin widened into a smile. I really do love that boy. Speaking of young men, my thoughts turned back to an even younger boy. "Is Kazuki health? Are there any problems with him?"

"None at all. He's a perfectly healthy baby."

I let out a sigh of relief at the news. "That's good." Just knowing that he was ok made all of my worries vanish. I accomplished the one thing I set out to do. My baby was home, safe, and most of all, loved. "Wanabi, I want to thank you for-"

Why do people keep interrupting me? Whether it's a kiss or a loud noise, I keep getting interrupted. However, I was happy for the interruption. Shikamara came through the door, which knocked against the wall by the excessive force, and appeared at my bedside. Kakashi and a nurse were close behind him. I guess he really was waiting for me.

I gave my wonderful student my best smile, but couldn't contain myself from making a smart remark. "I know you've missed me, but that's no way reason for you to ruin a perfectly good door." I didn't get a reply. Not a "hi" or "how could you let yourself get kidnapped" or even some for of disapproval. He just stood there looking at me. "Lean down here," I emphasized by beckoning him with my finger. He slowly did as I asked and when he got close enough I pulled him to me with a hug. "I've missed you," I whispered into his ear. His body, which originally had been tense, fell limp in my arms. I was so happy to be able to be close to him again, but what really lit up my world is what he did next.

He hugged me back. The entire time I had been a part of Team Asuma, I had hugged each of my team members, give or take, at least a hundred times, and not once has he hugged me back. Ino and Chouji did it like it was second nature, but my little Shikamarau always had a wall up. As he started to pull away I planted a small kiss on his forehead, making him jolt back. "What was that for," he complained as he rubbed the spot I had kissed.

I shrugged my shoulders and gave him another smile. "Because I felt like it. What other reason do I need?" As the nurse stepped forward to put the pillows behind my back, Shikamaru stepped to the side, giving her enough room. My smile didn't dissipate as I continued to watch him struggle whipping away my kiss. Too bad, that kiss will never leave him.

Once the pillows were in place, the nurse excused herself from the room. "How are you feeling? Any discomfort or pain at all," Wanabi asked from his spot at the end of the bed.

"My body is a little sore, but nothing besides that."

"That's good," he said as he made some notes on my chart. "How about your vision and hearing."

"Fine." Again, he scribbled something into my chart.

"I'm going to have to take some blood samples, but besides that I think you'll be fine."

"Good, I want to go home."

Wanabi stopped writing whatever it was he scribbling and looked up at me. "You're not leaving." His voice was so stern and forceful. He had never spoken to me like that before. "At least not for a while."

I quickly looked over at Kakashi, hoping that he'd back me up, but he just stood there. "Why can't I leave?"

"You have been asleep for a week. You need to be monitored."

_A week? I've been asleep for a week?_

"But I feel fine."

"That's just the point. You feel fine now, but it won't last. What I gave in the bunker was enough to keep you alive for a while, but the more I gave it to you, the quicker the effectsran out. When you were first brought here, the Hokage and I decided to switch cures and try the one she made. So far the effectslast longer, but you still relapse. I'm afraid you can't leave until we find something that will make you stable."

"But you have all my father's notes, don't you? You remembered to take them when you escaped, right?"

"We do have all of your father's work, but he was far from being finished. You're condition is much more delicate than any of us ever expected."

Once again, I looked over to Kakashi for support, but I found none. "I agree with him."

"Kakashi-"

"You're to weak right now to be doing much of anything."

I couldn't hold my anger. I can't believe they were doing this to me. I had fought so hard to leave my stone prison and now I'm being place in a new one. All I wanted was to have things go back to normal. "Couldn't I carry around a syringe fill with the cure or whatever it is that you have done?"

Kakashi and Shikamaru looked over to Wanabi, both wanting to know the answer as much as I did. "In time, after a lot of tests and observation, perhaps you'll be able to do that. But for now, you have to stay here." I couldn't believe it. It was a beautiful day outside and I had to stay here.

Kakashi moved past Shikamaru and sat on the bed next to me. "It won't be that bad."

"Yes it will. I'll be stuck in here while you and Kazuki get to go home. And I wont be able to lead my team."

"It's not like we wont come visit," Shikaramu added.

"That's not the point. The point is that I'll be missing out on everything." No one said a word. They knew I was right, but still wouldn't budge on the subject. I was a prisoner once again.

"Wanabi, today is Gina's birthday. There is going to be a party at her house. Couldn't Soi leave just for the party?" My eyes shot over to Kakashi. Was he really asking Wanabi for my release? "She'll be in a safe place full of people who can watch. And of course you'll be there. I don't think Gina would have the party without you."

My head instantly snapped over to Wanabi. I could tell that he was struggling with the idea, but looked like he was going to say no. "Please, please let me go. You'll be there, plus my uncle use to be a medic ninja. That's two people who know medicine well enough to help me. And if anything does happen, Kakashi could get me back here in no time." I could tell that my begging had worked, even just a little. He had a bad poker face and I knew he was losing his internal battle. "Please."

His defeated sigh was all I need for conformation. "Alright, but you have to take it easy the entire time. No running around. No overworking your body. Nothing."

"That's fine," I said through a big smile. "Thank you so much."

"Yeah," he grumbled under his breath before leaving the room. I think that's the first time he ever grumbled at me. That old man is getting ballsy now that he's no longer under Kouki's control.

I whipped back the cover and moved to get the tubing out of my arm, but Kakashi and Shikamaru's hands stopped me. "What are you doing," they said in unison.

"Leaving," I said flatly. Did they not just hear the conversation that Wanabi and I had?

"No, you're going to let Wanabi or a nurse do that, then I'll take you home," Kakashi said as he removed his hands, Shikamaru doing the same.

I protested of course, but neither of them would let me take them out. Instead, I ended up waiting for Wanabi to come in and removing the tubing. After I was done signing discharge papers, the four of us left. Most people would feel silly walking around in hospital pajamas, but I wore mine with pride. Everyone has to be silly every once and a while, otherwise they're just plain boring.

The feel of the bright warm sun against my skin was pure ecstasy. The last time I felt it was when I left the bunker and those men helped me to…come to think of it, where did they take me? I don't remember much of anything. "What happened after I left the bunker," I asked Wanabi as my eyes drifted over to him. He let a heavy sigh as he started his story.

By the time we reached the apartment, I was all caught up in everything that I've missed. That's only because we walked slower than snails the entire way. Walking at the speed of a normal person wasn't good enough for them, oh no, I had to walk as slow as an old person. No offense to Wanabi.

Since I got back, Wanabi switched me to Tsunade-sensei's version of the cure. It lasted longer, a good three days, but it wasn't what they were looking for. The effectsstill wore off and my body still tried to kill me. But, three days is better than nothing. Wanabi decided to move to Konoha to be closer to Kazuki and I, and help create the cure. Thankfully Tsunade welcomed him to the village with open arms. There really wasn't a reason for him not to, but it was still good to know that he is around.

Once we were inside the apartment, I was hit by the overwhelming urge to sit down, but I didn't let them know that. I was afraid that if they knew I was tired just from my walk, that they wouldn't let me go to the party. So instead, I decided to do the more natural thing. I started down the hall and went into the bedroom, my three shadows still close behind me.

When I reached my dresser I pulled out one of the few pair of long pants I had, a long sleeve shirt, and come undergarments. Not only was I cold, another thing that I wasn't about to tell them, but I didn't want anyone seeing the left over baby fat I had. I definitelyhad to work that off. "Are you guys going to follow me into the shower too?"

"Shikamaru wont, but the two of us can." I gave my love, yet overly protective husband one of those "looks," but it didn't affect him. "I'm serious."

I looked over at Wanabi and his expression was the same, dead serious. "No, I am not that fragile. I can take a shower by yourself."

"It's not like we would watch you. We'd just be there to make sure nothing happens." I know Wanabi was trying to help, but all I wanted to do flick him on the nose.

"Speak for yourself," Kakashi added.

"I'm leaving," Shikamaru said as he walked towards the front door. Poor kid, he doesn't need to think about his sensei naked.

After watching him leave, I turned my attention back to the two men in front of me. "Would it help if I took a bath instead of a shower?"

My sweet Wanabi said, "yes," but Kakashi said, "no." He had that ridiculously pervy look on his face that said it all.

"Stop being a perv," I said as I walked passed them and into the bathroom.

I heard, "but that's why you love me," right before I closed the bathroom door. Sadly, he was right. Luck for him that his perviness is part of the reason I love him so much.

My bath didn't last long, even though I wanted it to last forever. The warm water took away some of the pain, making my body feel almost normal again. Every couple of minutes Kakashi or Wanabi would yell through the door, asking me if I was ok. I was half tempted not to reply, but that was a little too cruel, even for me. Once I was done, it took me a little while for me to put my cloths own. My muscles felt better, but they still hurt. It took much longer than it should have, but I got the job done.

When I emerged from the bathroom, both of my boys were waiting for me. Kakashi placed one of his powerful hands on the small of my back and lightly guided me to the living room. "The party isn't for a few more hours, so you're going to resting until then." He led me to the couch and forced me to sit down. Not that I was going to say anything, but I felt like a prisoner again. Being pushed around and told what to do was something I was never handle very well. "Do you want anything to eat?"

I looked at him skeptically. "You're going to cook for me?"

"I'm a good cook."

"You're an ok cook. If we were on a mission, I would eat your food, but you're idea of "cooking" will never be allowed in this house."

"You mother dropped some food off for me yesterday."

"I'll take that," I said, perhaps, a little too eagerly. Kakashi went to the kitchen to get my food while Wanabi moved to sit in the only in the living room.

"How are you feeling?"

"Good."

"No pain or discomfort?"

"Not at all." That was a lie. That was a hug lie, but I couldn't tell him the truth. I couldn't risk going back to the hospital.

Eating proved more difficult that I thought. Thankfully, my small meal was soup, but it took forever for me to get through half of it. A spoon full felt like a ton in my stomach. I was still hungry, but I physically couldn't eat any more. My body wouldn't let me.

Several hours later it was time for the party. I made the comment that it might be a good idea to head over early so I wouldn't have a lot of attention on me at once, and they agreed. However, the reasons I told them I wanted to leave early weren't my real reasons. I wanted to see my mom. Being with her always made me feel good, but most of all, I wanted to see my baby.

They agreed that it would be a good idea to leave earlier, so we left half an hour before the party was supposed to start. When the house came into view, I almost burst out into tears. All I wanted to do was hug my mom and my baby. I just wanted to sit down somewhere while being surrounded by the people I love most.

Walking into the house felt like walking into an old life. I had grown accustom to the cold was of my prison that the bright colored walls of my mother's home felt foreign. "Soi," a high pitched voice yelled. To my left was the sitting room, where Sango and my brother were playing a game. "Soi," she yelled again as she ran over to me. She collided with my legs at full force, almost knocking me over, but Kakashi and Wanabi held me.

"Hi, baby girl," I said as I bent down to her level to give her a hug. I knew I didn't have the strength to pick her up, so I wasn't even going to try.

"Do you feel better," she asked as we pulled away from each other.

"Yeah, I do." I was going to ask her how she was, but she took off running through the house yelling that I was home. Instead of calling after her, I turned to face my brother. He was looking at me with a mixture of happiness and depression. "Hey there, kid. No hug for your sister?" I could see tears swelling up in his eyes, even though he tried to hide them, as he came to give me a hug. He had always bee a sensitive kid. He'd try to act like a tough guy, but that wasn't who he really was. "Oooh, gently please."

He let go of me quickly and backed up. "Sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you." His eyes racked over me, looking for any damage he might have done.

"Don't worry about it," I said with a smile. "I'm good."

My three helpers escorted me to the back porch. Sango had already told everyone that I was home, but none of them seemed to believe her. Like the stubborn little thing that she is, she put on her pouty face and started storming towards the inside of the house. But when she saw me standing on the porch, her hanger disappeared and she started to jump up and down while pointing at me. "See! She's here. She's here."

Almost everyone stopped what they were doing looked in my direction. There were some gasped, but mostly looks of pure shock. Obaa-san and Chiasa were the first to come my way. They each hugged gently hugged me, then started bombarding me with questions. When did I wake up? Why didn't I tell them? Was I really ok to be out of the hospital and so on. I told them that I would tell them everything after the party. I didn't want to ruin mom's big day.

Speaking of which, her voice sliced through the air. Just hearing her was more than enough to set my heart a flutter. "I swear, this little guy is exactly like his mother. Soi wouldn't hold still when I changed her diaper…" She stopped complaining when her eyes locked on to me. She was coming outside, but stopped all action when she noticed me. "You…you're…" Here eyes began to fill with tears as she shifted Kazuki into one arm. She quickly walked over to my side and wrapped her one free arm around my neck. "I can't believe you're here."

My head fell to the crook of her neck as I hugged her just as tightly as she hugged me. Being in her arms felt like magic. It's a feeling that I can't describe. It's one of those feelings that only a mother could give.

"I'm here, mom." She pulled away just enough to give me a kiss on the cheek before hugging me again.

I'm sure our hug would've lasted longer if a small voice and wiggling didn't force us to part. In her arms was the object my affections, my reason for living. My arms instantly shot out to hold him, but Wanabi stopped me. I love Wanabi, he is a very kind man, but if he thinks he's coming between me holding my child, I am going to strangle him. "You should probably sit down if you want to hold him. Just to be safe."

I rolled my eyes, but as suggested. I sat in one of the lawn chairs, Kakashi moving to sit next to me. Mom handed me my little bundle of love. His beautiful brown eyes looked up at me in wonders while his little fingers balled into fists. He made a few cooing sounds, making my heart soar to the heavens. He was perfect.

A bright flash brought me out of my moment of peace. I looked over to see Chiasa holding a camera. "Sorry, but I wanted to be the person to take the first Hatake family photo." I scoffed and rolled my eyes before look back at my son.

I never thought I could feel this good. Being in Kakashi's arms was the best feeling in the world to me up until a few weeks ago. Having Kazuki with me, looking at me with his beautiful eyes, was such an amazing feeling. It was pure bliss.

There was no guarantee that I would be able to hold him like this tomorrow or that I would get the chance to teach him all the things my parents taught me, but I was going to do my best. No matter what it took, no matter how bad the pain, I was going to do everything in my power to see him grow up.

Seconds turned into minutes and soon the backyard was filled with people. Everyone who attended the party was shocked to see me there. Genma and Anko cracked jokes at me for looking so crappy and I laughed with them. Mom and Obaa-san found our sick sense of humor disgusting, but that didn't stop us from having fun. They were possibly the only two people I could count on to not to treat me like a glass doll.

Shikamaru didn't leave my side from the moment he arrived. He was like my fourth shadow, Kakashi being my second and Wanabi my third. During the party, I hardly moved. I wanted to get up and walk around a bit, but my three shadows wouldn't let me.

When Tsunade arrived I thought I was going to die. She didn't know that I was let out of the hospital and I was expecting all hell to rise. Instead, I was greeted with an annoyed look and then was ditched for some of mom's cake.

Kazuki had made his ways around. Ino and Sakura were swooning over him and Guy was treating him like a doll. He'd make Kazuki do the same ridiculous dances that he does. I had to restrain myself from telling Guy to stop. It was ok if he and Lee liked doing that, but if Kazuki grew up to be like Guy, I am going to flip.

The evening was perfect. My friends and family kept me entertained and well fed. It wasn't until the sun had set that things began to wind down. Some of the guests began to leave and Jiro forced all the kids into the house. It was well past their bedtime, but none of them wanted to sleep. There were all too wired to have me home to go to sleep. I had to tell them that they could come see me later, but only if they went to bed.

The cool night air sent shivers down my spine, something that didn't go unnoticed by my ever-watchful shinobi husband and student. "If you're cold, maybe you should go inside."

"I'm alright, Shikamaru. I'm more tired than anything," but my protesting went unheard. Shikamaru asked my mom if there were any spear blankets. In turn, mom and several other people turned to look at me. All I saw was pitty in their eyes, something I didn't need. I kept watching my mother as she went inside to get a blanket. When she came back out, she still held that ridiculous emotion in her eyes.

"Ya know, I thought I wouldn't have to take care of you past a certain age," she said as she wrapped one of Obaa-san's homemade quilts around me. "But I like it. It's like you're little again." I wanted to make a joke about her having to take care of me, but I know only Anko and Genma would find it amusing, so I kept my mouth shut.

For about half an hour or so everyone sat together and chatted idly. It wasn't anything too heavy, but I could feel that everyone was dancing around something. Kazuki had returned to my arms at some point during the party and that's where he remained. He had been asleep for a while and the noise didn't seem to bother him.

"I'm sorry, but I've got to ask," Obaa-san's voice rose over the chatter. Everyone gave her their attention, but her eyes were fixed on my mother. "I'm sorry for doing this now, Gina, but there's no point in dancing around it any longer." Her voice was so strained that I thought it was going to break. I had only seen her look so frail a few times in my leave and each time always left me feeling hollow. She is one of the strongest women that I know, so seeing her this way always hurt. Her teary eyes, which glistened in the dim light, turned to me. "What happened to you, baby?"

So that's why everyone was acting strange. Nobody wanted to bring it up. "Obaa-san, I…I mean…maybe now isn't such a good time."

"But it's better than having to repeat is several times," Anko added with a smile as she pulled up a lawn chair next to me. "You'll have to write a report, then you'll tell you're family, then you know you would have to tell the rest of us. Why not do it know?" I know Anko was just trying to help. It would be annoying if I had to repeat my story over and over again.

I looked at the small sea of faces before me, all holding different emotions. Some were pity, others were sad. Some were curious and others were amused, that would be Anko. But when my eyes fell on my mother, I didn't know what to do. "Momma?"

"Do what you want to, baby. It's up to you." Uh, I hate when she does that. This was her party, so it should be her decision, but if that's the way she wanted to play it.

So I did the only thing I could do. I took a deep breath, clutched Kazuki to me a little bit tighter, and told my story. It didn't take long for the tears to start. My family couldn't keep it together, but I was grateful that the shinobi around here knew how to keep it in. Well, mostly. Although none of them cried, there were other signs that I picked up on. Clenched fists, blank stairs, ridged shoulders. There were no questions or comments, no words, just tears and tight muscles.

Kakashi had an arm draped around my shoulders the entire time, a small gesture that I was overly thankful for. Remember the events of those horrid months made me feel like I was back there again and Kakashi's touch was the one thing that reminded me that I was still here, still safe. He didn't say or do anything until I got to the part about Kouki stabbing me. Although he remained silent, his hold on me tightened. It tightened a second time when I got to the part about the break out. I'm not sure if it was because he was happy that we no longer had to worry about Kouki and Ichirou or if it was because he thought I was stupid for doing what I did. It was probably a mixture of both.

No one said a word when my story came to a close. There were no, "I'm sorrys," or "you poor baby," but the tears remained. I didn't want the tears, I didn't want the silence. All I wanted was for everyone to be happy. I was home, Kazuki was home, and we're both safe, so their should be no reason for tears.

"Well, problem solved," Anko said with glee as she stood up. "Well, I'm going home," She bent down just enough to give me a hug, which I returned happily. I was always happen when she took the initiative to speak up first. She always seemed to know what I needed. "I'll see you tomorrow. If you're nice, I might bring you a snack or something," she said with a wink before saying the rest of her goodbyes and leaving. Her actions caused a ripple of actions. Everyone seemed to perk up, at least a little. There were several forced smiles while almost everyone whipped away their tears. It was a start, but everyone still had a way to go. Several people decided to leave, which didn't bother me. Who would want to stick around after a story like that?

Ino was one of the ones who decided to depart after epic story of depression. "I'm happy you're back," she said as she came to give me a hug.

"Me too," I said as I gave her a one armed hug. As we pulled away a bright idea popped into my head. "I was thinking, after I'm taken off of hospital arrest, there is something I want to teach you."

"What?"

"I'm going to have to see if they'll go for it, but...,"A wave of nausea hit me like a ton of bricks out of nowhere. "I…uh…"

Kakashi and Ino both went on edge. "Are you ok?"

A second wave hit me from nowhere, almost making me pass out. My arms shot out quickly, handing Kazuki to Ino before I tapped on Kakashi's leg a few times. "Go get me a trashcan."

"Why?" Having red tinted vomit splattered all over the once green grass seemed to be a good reason for one. Ino was very luck that I missed her. "Soi?" His voice was hard and full of worry, something that I didn't want to hear. It wasn't like him.

"I'm fine." It was true, I felt fine, all for about six seconds. Another round a red vomit found it's way to the ground. "Nevermind."

I could hear people talking to me, but I couldn't understand what they were saying. It all blended together into annoying buzzing sound. To make matters worse, I started losing feeling in my body and the world began to spin.

This definitelywasn't what I wanted for my mom's birthday.

Kakashi's POV  
>I never should have suggested going to the party. I should've kept my mouth shut and made her stay in the hospital.<p>

After she threw up the second time, I scooped her up in my arms and dashed for the hospital, Tsunade and Sakura right behind me. Guy carried Wanabi to the hospital just for extra measure. When we reached the emergency wing, Tsunade took Soi from me and vanished behind two double white doors. Sakura told me that I had to wait in the waiting room, before following after her. Wanabi did the same when Guy dropped him off.

I really hate this place. Everything about it is horrible. The supposedly calming color of the walls, the cold air, the unending amount of sick people. It was enough to drive me crazy and Guy wasn't helping. He decided to wait with me in the waiting room, but he wasn't helping. He wasn't being his normal, loud self, but that's what was so off-putting. He was different and I couldn't deal with that at the moments, so I told him to go back to Gina's house and let her know that Soi is with Tsunade.

I don't know how long I had been waiting, but it felt like forever. Seconds seemed like hours. My mind raced with what might happen. Will she be ok? Is she going to die? Will she ever be able to live the hospital again? There was so much I didn't know, so many questions that needed answered.

My eyes shot to the open door of the waiting room the second I felt Sakura's chakra level. Her green eyes were filled with sorrow as she slowly walked up to me. "Sensei…Tsunade-sama wants to talk to you."


	36. Epilogue 1

AN: I'm not a fan of songfics, so I'm not going to make one. However, I am going to suggest that you guys listen to this song when you get to the part where Soi sings. It's LeeAnn Womack's I Hope You Dance. The first time I heard it was on the radio while my mom and I were going somewhere. She turned it up and said that this is what she wished for me and my sibling. I'm normally not into songs like this, but after listening to it, it stuck with me.

Youtube Lee Ann Womack - I Hope You Dance

"Spoken" _Thought/Flashback/Dream_ **Writing **

Epilogue 1

Soi's POV  
>"Did I tell you what that kid did to me the other day?"<p>

"I love that you call him, 'that kid,' or 'Kakashi's kid,' every time Kazuki does something you don't like." Kurenai had a point. I may do that, but that's my way of venting.

"He put one of my disposable cameras in the toilet." Anko's booming laughter was enough to break my eardrums. Thankfully, Kurenai laugh wasn't nearly as loud. "It's not funny! I had a lot of good shots on there."

"Wha…what happened," Anko choked out between laughs. "Start from the beginning."

"Mom, Chiasa, and I took him to the park for a little while. There were no other kids around, so I summoned the cats. While they were playing, I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to finish off one of my disposable cameras. On the way home I accidentally dropped it and got a bit of dirt on it. Kazuki thought I broke it and got sad, but I told him everything would be fine if I washed it. I thought that would've been the end of it, but no. When we got home, I sat the camera on the counter then went to start making lunch. I had my back turned for one second, one freakin' second, and the kid snatches it. I thought I had misplaced it, so I asked him if he knew where I put it. With a cocky smile on his face he took my hand, lead me to the bathroom, pointed at the toileted and said, 'I fixed it.'" My little story earned another round of laughter from the girl. "He's lucky that he's so damn cute."

After Anko finally calmed down, she found her voice, which thankfully wasn't as loud as her laughter. "I don't know what's worse. Coming between you and food, you and pictures, or you and Kazuki."

"She has a point," Kurenai said from my side. "You are dangerous when it comes to certain things."

This is how my afternoons often went. After I was done teaching, Anko and Kurenai would meet me outside of the academy and walk with me to pick up Kazuki from daycare, unless they were on missions. As routine as it was, and I truly hate routine, it was nice. Any hope of being a shinobi, or at least the shinobi I use to be, went up in smoke years ago. After months of tests and being watched like a hawk, Wanabi and Tsunade-sensei finally gave me permission to leave the hospital, but I had to go back once a week for my weekly does of the cure. At least I didn't have to go back every day like I did for the first few months after I was released. It still wasn't exactly what I had imagined for myself, but it was my life and I wouldn't change it.

But I know letting me go was one of the hardest things those guy had ever done, especially after what happened at mom's party. Almost everyone was on pins and needles after that night. Tsunade-sensei didn't think that I was going to survive much longer after that. They ran some tests and discovered that my insides aren't as strong as they should be and that I would have, at most, a year to live. I guess I proved them wrong.

As for active duty, I was never going to see that again. Since the cure wasn't perfected, I was too much of a liability for my team. If my kekkai genkai ever decided to act up and work against me, I could get myself or my team killed. As much as I hated being off duty, I would never forgive myself if something happy to my team because of me.

But just because I couldn't mean go on missions didn't prevent me from doing other things. As much as everyone, excluding Anko, wishes I wouldn't do it, I still train with my team. The dynamic trio use to put up a fight, telling me that they wouldn't fight me no matter what; I know how to push their buttons. Now it's not even up for discussion. It took them a while to learn, but sensei does what she wants.

"When is Kakashi supposed get back?"

"He should've been back yesterday. Hopefully he'll be by tomorrow morning. Speaking of which, are you guys coming tomorrow?"

They both gave me that looks that says, "what do you think?"

"Of course we will. We wouldn't miss it."

"Good. Don't even bother knocking on the door, just come in. Better yet, just head around back."

By now we were at Kazuki's daycare. Just like every day around this time, all of the kids were playing in the fenced in play area. The teacher was currently breaking up a fight between two students, poor woman. Most of the kids were from shinobi families, so of course there was going to be some fighting. I know I wasn't an angel for my mother.

The three of us approached the white wooden fence, all of us smiling at the little faces before us. My eyes instantly landed on Kazuki, who was playing with Mizuza, his best friend and partner in crime. Every time those to are together…well, they're like a little mini me and Anko. They're so rowdy that if left to their own devices, I'm sure they'd burn down Konoha.

"Kazuki," I call from my spot behind the fence. The moment our locks, my heart almost stopped. Every time I look into those beautiful brown eyes of his, my heart melts. If only that kid knew how powerful his hold is over me.

It didn't take him long to ditch his little friend to run to stand before me. "Hi, mommy."

"Hi, baby," I said with a smile. "Ready to go?"

"Yep, oh guess what happened."

"What?"

"We got to share what we like about our family. I said that I really like how much time I get to spend with my mommy." There are no amount of words that could express how much that meant to me. He was always doing things like that. We would be eating dinner or taking a walk and he'd randomly tell me that he loves me. "Then Kazuma said that he had the coolest parents, but I said that I had the coolest parents because my daddy is a famous ninja."

I could hear the snickers from my side as Anko and Kurenai both tried to hold back their laughter as I tried to keep my smile. "You're daddy?"

"Yep. Daddy goes off on cool missions, but you only teach. But it's ok, I still love you."

And then Anko lost it. My smile disappeared as my jaw dropped, but Kurenai saved us from a strained silence. "We'll wait here while you got get your backpack and tell the teacher that you're leaving."

"Ok." And without another word, he was off.

It took me a couple of seconds to compose myself and for Anko to calm down. "Did he just say Kakashi was cooler than me?" No, there was no way he my son, who I spend more time with, thinks his father is the cool parent. "That's…what? I'm the cool parent. Me!"

Anko nudged my shoulder, roughly, while giving me a very satisfied smirk. "He also said his daddy is famous. I think the kid needs to be taught who the real badass is in the family."

"Got that right," I grumbled under my breath. By the time he came back, I had fully composed myself, but was making mental notes of what stories I could tell him that would make him think I was the cooler parent.

"While you figure how to knock your husband from his pedestal, I've gotta go get ready for the chunin exams. Only a week away." Anko was always excited when the chunin exams came around. She loved watching the kids squirm.

"I have to go too."

After regaining complete control of myself and my thoughts, I said farewell to the girls and watched them go.

"I'm ready," a happy voice chimed.

I looked down to see a happy-go-luck face looking up at me. "Yes you are. Are you hungry," I asked as I opened the fence gate for him.

"Kinda."

"How about we go get some snacks and visit Gran?"

"Yeah!" I knew he would agree. He never passes up a chance to see her.

"Good, let's get going." Hand in hand we headed for the market. When we got there, Kazuki almost floored me on his grocery decisions. Instead of only wanted sweets, even though we did get the chocolate cupcakes that he wanted. I don't think we bought anything that I picked out, it was all him. Strawberries, pork filled dumplings, wonton soup, and three bottles of peach iced tea. I'll admit, it was a strange array of food, but I knew that they were things sensei wouldn't mind eating.

"I'm not sure if Gran will be busy or not, so we might not get a chance to see her."

"Ok." There have been a few times we have gone to visit sensei and she had been busy. He use to get upset about not seeing her, but got over it quickly.

When we arrived at her office, Kazuki knocked on her door a couple of times. He jumped up and down in place until we both heard her yell for us to come in. My hand was quickly forgotten when she gave us permission to enter. He flung the door open and ran to her scream, "Gran," as he went.

Never in my life had I ever thought that I'd see Tsunade with a child. Not that I don't think she would make a good mother, but children are a lot of work and the woman has little patience. But she always seemed happy when I brought Kazuki around and wasn't upset that he called her Gran.

I smiled happily as when she picked him up and set him on her knee. "To what do I owe the honor of this visit?"

The plastic bag in my hand made a ruffling sound as I sat the bag on her desk. "We decided to surprise you with a little snack."

"Any sake?" I shook my head in the negative. "Oh well."

I took out the small carton of strawberries and handed them to Kazuki, who was currently playing with sensei's stapler. "Will you run down to the bathroom and wash these for me?"

"Sure." My little speed demon hopped of his Gran's lap and ran out of the room with the strawberries.

After I watched him leave, I planted my butt firmly on the edge of sensei's desk. "How have you been feeling?"

"Crappy. I've have a constant headache for the past three days and I am so, so tired. No matter how much I sleep, I still feel drained."

"What about food?"

"I can't eat. It's not that I don't want to, it's just…I don't know. When I do eat it's not much.

"When was the last time you went to see Wanabi?"

"A few days ago for my shot. He said take some pain relieves and put Kazuki to bed earlier so I can get more sleep."

"And how is that working out for you?"

"It's not doing much. I might get a few hours of relief from my headache, but I still feel like I'm not getting enough sleep."

Sensei's chair made a small squeaking sound as she leaned back, her eyes disappearing into some far off place. "It might be the new dose we're giving you. You should take a break."

"From what? School is almost over, I haven't trained in a week, and Kazuki is a full time job when Kakashi isn't around."

"What about your mother?"

"I don't want to rely on her to much. She has a life of her own and doesn't need to be babying me."

"There's no shame in asking for help."

"I know, but I seem to be asking for help a lot lately." I let out a heavy sigh as I turned to look out the window behind her. It was a perfectly normal day in Konoha. Bright, warm, and calling everyone to enjoy the outdoors, but all I wanted it to do was rain. "I just wish Kakashi would get here."

"He should be here soon. He wouldn't miss Kazuki's birthday."

I chuckled at the thought of Kakashi missing his son's birthday. After missing the day of his birth, Kakashi promised to never miss one of Kazuki's birthdays. He's stayed true to that promise, but he's cutting it close this year. "He better not or there will be a divorce in his futures."

Tsunade rolled her eyes before digging into the bag of food. "You two couldn't live without each other."

Before the conversation went too deep I decided to change the subject. "You're coming tomorrow, right?"

"For a little while, but I can't stay for the whole thing."

"That's fine." The faint sounds of dripping water caught our attention as we both adverted our eyes to the door. Kazuki had returned to the strawberries, but water was dripping from his hands…and face. "Why is your face wet?"

"I ate a strawberry, but it got on my face so I cleaned it off." Sure enough he at a strawberry, but not just one. Half the container was empty and he somehow managed to red smears all over his face.

After properly getting the little man cleaned up the three of us sat in Tsunade's office and ate our afternoon snack. Kazuki told us about his day, making Tsunade laugh when he told the story about the cool parent. But our little gathering came to a close when a team of ANBU came into the room to report the success of their resent mission.

Several hours later, after dinner, a bath, and some cartoons it was time for bed. Tonight he decided to wear his favorite pj's. Dark blue pants with little cartoon characters on them and a yellow long sleeve shirt that says **I'm Toon Cute**.

"Can I sleep with you tonight?" It was rare that he would ask that. He had always enjoyed sleeping by himself and only slept with Kakashi and I if he had a bad dream.

"Sure. Is everything ok?"

"I want you to sing to me."

I couldn't help but laugh. Every night I sing to him, regardless if he sleeps with me or not. "Go hop in bed. I'll be there in a minute." With his favorite stuffed animal, Jumbe the frog, at his side, he ran out of the bathroom and to my bedroom. Kami, that kid has too much energy.

After brushing my teeth and putting I my pj's it was time to remove my makeup. Every day I hated the idea of putting on makeup, but I had to. Without it, I looked like death. I only put enough coverup on to fool Kazuki, but everyone else knew. He would easily notice the dark circle under my eyes and constantly ask questions. For now, it was best if he though that everything was ok.

When I entered the bedroom he was laying in the middle, completely under the blankets, giggling like a maniac. "I wonder where Kazuki could be." His giggling didn't stop, but quieted down a bit. I moved onto the bed and slowly started to pull on the covers. "I wonder where he could be." I tugged on the covers a bit more, but he wouldn't let go. "Oh well, I guess I'll just go to sleep and see him when he gets back." I flopped in the middle of the bed, but supported my weight with my arms. I was on Kazuki just enough to keep him trapped, but not enough to hurt him.

"I'm here! I'm here!"

"I hear you, but I don't see you." He quickly pulled down the covers and started to giggle again. "Oh, there you are. I couldn't find you." I gave him a quick kiss before getting of the bed. I turned off the lights and opened the window just a crack before slipping under the covers next to him.

Kazuki moved to my side and rested his head on my chest, Jumbe squished in between us. "I love you, mommy."

I love it when he says those four little words. Individually the mean nothing, but together they mean everything. "I love you too, baby." My fingers slowly massaged his scalp, his curls getting locked in my fingers. Actually, I can't even call them curls. When he was about a year old, his perfect little ringlets started to loosen and now he has wavy-straight hair.

And to complete the ritual, I started to sing our song. It was the same song my mom sang to me and her mom sang to her. It was simple, but beautiful. It was one of the ways I expressed my love for him. Every lyric was exactly how I felt for him. I want him to experience to world and not have anything pass him by. I want him to live life to the fullest without any regrets, but most importantly I want him to know that he is loved.

After singing the song three times, he finally fell asleep. Thank Kami, because I did not want to sing it again. I knew it wouldn't be long before he starts kicking in his sleep, but I didn't have the heart to move him. Instead I maneuvered myself just enough to get comfortable and drifted off into my own dreams.

I'm not sure how long I had been asleep when I awoke to a shift in the bed. My eyes flickered to see a shadowy figure pick up the small form beside me. "You're late," I mumbled as I sat up.

"Go back to sleep. I've got him." Too late for that. I watched from my comfy spot as Kakashi left the room with Kazuki. When he returned he took off his headband, vest, shirt, and mask before tossing them on the floor. The bed sank again as when he sat on the edge. I moved from under the covers to sit with him. My legs were on either side of him as my chest pressed against his back, my head resting on his shoulder.

"Long mission?"

"It was more work than I thought it would be, but nothing I couldn't handle."

"Obviously." The feel of hot skin against my lips jolted me awake just a little bit more as I kissed his cheek. "At least your home now." He moved his head to look at me, giving me a perfect view of his mismatched eyes. "What?"

My reply was a simple kiss. I know it was brief, but it felt like it lasted forever. "How have you been?"

"Tired. I'm really, really tired."

"You look like it."

"Thanks," I groaned. After giving him a light slap on the arm I returned to my warm place under the covers. Once he removed his shoes, my love claimed under the covers with me. "Kazuki is going to be so happy that you're back. I think he thought that you weren't going to make it."

"I promised that I'd be here."

"I know, but we both got a little worried," I said as I maneuvered myself to rest my head on his chest. "Are you excited for all the hyperactivity tomorrow?"

I could practically hear his eyes rolling as he wrapped an arm around me. "Can't wait."

Kakashi and I got up early the next morning to start getting ready. We had to hide most of Kazuki's gifts at the neighbor's house because I found him snooping through the closets looking for his gifts several weeks ago. Another reason we got up early is because Kazuki has a nasty habit of waking up early for fun days. I know it's something that all kids do, but it's not fun for the parents who want to sleep in.

His high pitched voice was a clear indication that he was awake. He ran from his bedroom and straight into my legs, almost making me trip. "Today's my birthday!"

"Yes it is, my love," I said as I bent down to pick him up. I gave him a big kiss on the cheek before pulling away and rearranging him so he was balancing on my hip as I continued to make breakfast. "How old are you today?"

He gave me one of those, "are you serious," faces, as if I really didn't know. He had always been good with numbers, so knowing that he was four didn't seem like a stretch.

"Mom, how could you forget how old I am?"

"I didn't, I just wanted to see if you know."

"I'm four," he said flatly. Kami, this kid is too much like me. He's four and already has an attitude.

"I have a surprise for you. One I think you're going to really like." His eyes looked down to the stove. I was making his favorite breakfast foods, colored pancakes. Personally, I hate pancakes, but he would eat them morning, noon, and night if I let him. He especially like it with fruit, so I decided to make them a little more festive. When I made strawberry pancakes, I'd dye them red, and the same idea applied to the blueberry pancakes.

"Yay," he yelled as he clapped his little hands together enthusiastically. "Colored pancakes."

I didn't bother to hide my laughter at his excitement. "No, not the pancakes. Something better."

The sound of the front door opening captured both our attentions. "Everything is set up at your mom's house. We can head over-" Kakashi didn't even have time to close the door before Kazuki jumped out of my arms and bolted for his father.

"Daddy," he yelled as he collided with Kakashi's leg. "You're home."

"Of course I am," he said as he bent down to pick up Kazuki. "I told you that I'd always be home for your birthday."

Watch my boys together always brought a smile to my face. Until I got pregnant, I had never envisioned Kakashi and I having a child together. Now I can't imagine what we would do without one.

After breakfast, which didn't take very long considering Kazuki practically inhales his food, we headed over to mom's house. The party wasn't going to start until 1pm, so there plenty of time to kill.

When the house came into view, Kazuki ditched Kakashi and I and ran for the house. I couldn't help, but laugh when I caught sight of all the decorations. It was overly obvious that something was going on at mom's house. Even people who didn't know us knew that something was going on. There were dark blue and yellow balloons tied to the mailbox, the porch, taped to the door, and hundreds of other places, but it's not like I have anything against it. When my family throws parties, we make them big.

"Have I ever told you that you're family enjoys parties too much?" I'm not really sure what he was complaining for. Probably because I kicked him out of the house this morning so he could help set up for the party.

"Really? I don't think we do enough." Oh sarcasm, how I love you.

When me walked into the house the first thing we did was set the presents on nicely decorated table on the back porch. I think our neighbor was thrilled not to have them in his house anymore.

The back yard looked fantast. Balloons were tied to just about everything, there was a piñata in the shape of one of the characters in Kazuki's favorite TV show, a large plastic bin full of water balloons, and a slip-and-slide. This was definitely going to be a fun day.

While we waited for the guests to arrive, Kazuki and some of the older kids decided to play in the slip-and-slide. He couldn't understand why I made him change into his swim trunks before he was allowed to play, so I caved and told him to play in his short. I had to do laundry anyway, a few more cloths wouldn't make a difference.

As the kids played the adults sat around talking about how the day was going to go. Jiro and Shig, even though they have a child of their own, don't really enjoy screaming kids. Why they decided to have a child, I'll never know, but they were still looking forward to the day. However, I was too buys thinking about Umeko's cooking. I couldn't wait to dig into the cake she made for Kazuki.

A few hours later the guest began to fill in. All of them came in their swimsuit and immediately headed for the water balloons. The only rule was that they weren't allowed to get the adults wet, but that rule broke when Anko made her appearance. She just couldn't help herself.

I watched her pick up a balloon and smiled. She had the same mischievous look on her faces as I did. What was supposed to be a nice, peaceful balloon fight turned into an all out war. We split the kids into groups and attacked each other. But mom told Anko and I that we weren't allowed to play anymore when things started getting rough. I supposed using our shinobi abilities at a kid's birthday party wasn't the smartest idea.

The turn out of guest was better than I had hoped. All of Kazuki's friends came, a total of thirteen kids, plus their parents. Then there Guy, Kurenai, the rest of jounin and their teams showed up as well, and to top it off, Wanabi and Tsunade-sensei came when they were done with their shifts at the hospital. Kakashi and I both summoned our summons, of course. They were part of the family too and deserved to be part of the festivities. We had to tell the kids that the summons weren't like other animals and that they didn't want to be petted. That put a damper on their spirits, but that didn't last long.

Lunch time was beyond crazy. The kids went frantic when we started bring out the food, but I could understand why. Umeko overdid herself, again, with all the food. There was so much that I was sure that there we were going to have leftovers for a month, but I was greatly mistaken. I knew Kazuki ate a lot, but his friends were equally as bad. They were right up there on Chouji's level.

After lunch was served, it was time for cake. Well, cakes. There was chocolate, vanilla, and red velvet, and when you put them next to each other they say **Happy Birthday Kazuki**. Kakashi, Shikamaru, and I excused ourselves from the group to go get the cakes, but I had to excuse myself from them.

"Give me a sec, guys, I have to go to the bathroom." It's wasn't a complete lie. I did go to the bathroom, but not to do what they thought I was going to do.

When I reached the bathroom I practically fell to the floor. I had been putting up a good front all day, but I didn't know how much more I could take. I had felt like crap since the moment I woke up and it was only getting worse. All the noise was driving me crazy and the sun was hurting my eyes. I had been taking pain pills throughout the day, but they weren't helping at all.

A knock on the door brought me back to reality. "Soi?"

"Come in."

The door opened and there stood Kakashi. I gave him a smile and patted the floor next to me. He followed my lead, closed the door, and sat beside me. "Are you alright? You've been up here for fifteen minutes."

Fifteen minutes? Where did the time go? It only felt like a few minutes.

I rested my head on his shoulder and let out a heavy sigh. "I'm just really, really tired. I haven't felt good all day." He didn't say anything; instead he wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me close. "All I want to do is crawl in a corner and sleep."

"Are you in any pain?"

"Yes." What was the point in lying? He would've known anyway. "Just don't tell Wanabi or Tsunade-sensei. I don't want to ruin Kazuki's day."

"Ok." He rubbed my shoulder gently and gave me a masked kiss on the forehead before standing up. "Let's go serve the cake before the kids start and revolt," he said as he offered me a hand. I giggled lightly at the thought as I took the hand that was offered to me.

The ever vigilant Shikamaru was still waiting for us when we finally made our way back from the bathroom. "Is everything ok?"

"All is well, cuteness," I said with a wink before picking up one of the cakes.

All the kids started screaming when they saw the cakes. Their high pitched voices were driving me crazy, but I put on a happy faced and pushed through it. Mom instructed everyone to gather around the long table next to the gift table. Kazuki sat at the head of the table, eyeing the three of us as we walked over to the table. We set the cakes on the table and mom came over with the candles and a lighter.

I picked up Kazuki and sat in his chair before placing him on my lap. Kakashi moved to stand by my side while mom lit the candles. Chiasa and Obaa-san, along with several guests, had their cameras out and were ready to document the whole thing.

I had to practically restrain Kazuki from jumping on the cakes as we sang Happy Birthday. He was so excited that when the song was over he didn't know what to do with himself. "You can blow out the candles now, baby," I whispered into his year. Everyone cheered as the candles went out. "Happy birthday, Kazuki," I whispered again before I kissed his cheek. Not that I was surprised, but Kazuki had three slices of cake, one of each kind. Kazuki ditched me to sit next to Mizuza on his third piece of cake, not that I minded. It was his party, so he could do what he wanted.

After the cake came the gifts. Just like when he blew out the candles, I made Kazuki sit on my lap as he unwrapped his gifts. I felt bad for the wrapping paper because he destroyed it. If they had feelings, they would've been crying. As he unwrapped his new toys, something hit me. There was no way all of this was going to fit in the apartment.

The party lasted a few more hours after Kazuki opened his gifts. As the erratic screaming of children died down, I found myself missing the screams. Even though the shrieking made my head hurt, I loved the sound. It reminded me of when Sango and my other cousins were little. Oh, I miss those days.

When the party finally ended, I beyond ready to go home. I was happy that the part was a success and Kazuki had a great time, but I was ready to relax. Kazuki was playing with Manabu and the other kids in the house while the rest of us were cleaning up.

"Do you think Kazuki enjoyed the party," Obaa-san asked as she picked up some broken balloon pieces off of the ground.

"I'm sure he loved it. With all the energy he waisted today, he's gonna crash the second we get home," I said as I packed all of Kazuki's presents a trash bag.

"If he makes it that far," Kakashi added.

With the whole family helping, the clean up didn't take very long. The backyard looked as beautiful as it did before it was trampled to death. Once that was done we all went into the house to rest. Kakashi and I, along with a few others, went to the sitting room to be with the kids, while everyone else went to the living room.

It was obviouse that Kauzki was going to crash at any moment, but we didn't start getting ready to leave until he made it clear it was time to go. He came over to Kakashi and I, sat on my lap, and sighed. "Momma, I'm tired."

"I see that," I said threw a brief round of giggles. "Go say thank you to everyone and then we'll go." He nodded his head, hopped off my lap, and went to say thank you to everyone. I drilled it into his head since birth that he has to give everyone a hug or kiss and say, "I love you," before leaving mom's house. Mom taught that to me, Obaa-san taught it to her, and so on. I even got Kakashi doing it. He may not say, "I love you," to them, but he knows that he has to at least give them a hug. Even if he didn't want to give them, he was going to get them, so he's learned not to put up a fight.

"I'll carry the gifts if you carry him," he offered.

"Deal."

The walk home was silent. Kakashi had a bag of gifts slung over his shoulder and I had a sleeping child on mine. The cool night air was refreshing on my heated skin.

When we got to the apartment, my first stop was Kazuki's room. I tried to wake him up so he could change into his pj's, but an earthquake wouldn't have gotten him up. Instead, I changed him as if he was a baby. It reminded me of when he still depended on me for everything, back before he turned into a smart-mouthed version of me.

Once he was firmly tucked under the covers I went to the bedroom. Kakashi was taking a shower, but I wasn't planning on waiting up for him. I put my pj's open, opened the window, and climbed under the covers. I closed my eyes to try to go to sleep, but my body wouldn't let me. When Kakashi was away on a mission, I had no problem falling asleep on my own, but for the past month I found it difficult to sleep without him if I knew he was home.

When the door to the bathroom swooshed open is when I realized that my salvation would be coming quickly. I could hear him walk into the room, open the closet, and walk back out. He came in a few minutes later, turned off the lights, then came under the covers with me.

"Is he still out," I asked as I maneuvered closer to his side once he was comfortable.

"Like a light. With any luck, he wont be up until noon. The shower's all your if you want to soak in the water."

"I'll do it in the morning."

"Are you sure? It might make you feel better."

"No. Sleep. Now." The vibration from his laughter shook the bed a bit, but it died down in no time. "I love you, Kakashi."

I felt one of his of his hands lightly caress my cheek before a pair of lips touched my forehead. "I love you too, Soi."


	37. Epilogue 2

AN: ….it's over. I can't believe it's finished. In a way I'm happy about it, but I'm also sad. This is my first story, EVER, and it's over. I didn't expect it to be so long, but I guess that's part of the challenge of writing. I learned a lot by writing this. I found some things I need to improve on and hope to better myself in future stories.

"Spoken" _Thought/Flashback/Dream_ **Writing **

Epilogue 2

The walls of the Hatake family home were filled with pictures. Not once in his life had Kakashi ever thought that he would have to force himself to see what color his walls were. Not that he would ever complain. The pictures were mainly of his family. There were pictures of Gina and Jun holding their first grandchild, Soi's and Kakashi's team fawning over the newborn, but most of the pictures were of Soi and Kazuki.

Not one person in the village could say that Soi was a bad mother. She loved her child more than anything. She constantly made sure that he was happy and properly taken care of. It could also be said that Kakashi was the ideal father. He was always ready to do what needed to be done for his son and always kept a watchful eye over him. What neither of them knew was how much their lives would change because of Kazuki.

When the boy was little they hardly got any rest and were constantly up all night. They would worry about almost everything while simultaneously acting with ease. Soi's family would make cracks at the new mother as often as they could. Soi always talked about how she would never have children. That marriage would be as far as she would go, but time and love have changed her mind. Still, none of them would ever say anything bad about the child. They loved the boy so much more than they could say.

From the moment Kazuki was able establish his own personality, it was obvious that he was his mother's child. He was as quirky, spontaneous, and playful. As he grew it became apparent that he inherited his mother's fighting style. He was as fluid and graceful as Soi.

And just like his parents, he is at the top of his class. Kazuki, hands down, was definitely the kid to beat. Taijutsu and ninjutus were his strong points, but his best attribute was the ability he inherited from his mother. Unlike her childhood, no one was afraid of him or his touch. No one looked at him like a freak or purposely stayed away from him. In fact, he was favored.

Continuing on in his parent's footsteps, Kazuki turned out to be a great looking young man. His hair was short and messy almost like his father, but had the same coloring as his mother. All the girls wanted him, which annoyed him to no end. Studying to become the perfect shinobi was much more important to him than girls.

"You should've seen Grandma this morning when I reminded her that today was the day we were assigned our teams. Surprising considering she doesn't forget anything. Umeko made me breakfast, which I think dad ate more of than I did." The wind blew through is messy hair as he told his mother about his day. The sun was setting and the air was warm. It was moments like these that he really enjoyed talking to her. "I haven't told dad who I'm teamed with yet, but I have a feeling he already knows. He knows everything."

"You're right. I do know everything." Kazuki turned his head sharply to look at the person behind him. "I even know that you were given the bell test."

"I didn't hear you coming."

"Are you slacking already?"

"No! I was just preoccupied with talking to mom."

"Well, I just came to tell you that Umeko will be finished with dinner shortly. You should get going before one of those crazy people come looking for you."

Kazuki stood up from his comfy seat in the grass and smirked at his father. "Those crazy people are your family too, old man. I'd watch what you say about them. Someone just might let it slip that you're talking ill about them," the smart mouth said before darting to his grandmother's house.

The legendary copy-nin rolled his one visible eye before giving his wife his full attention. "He's just like you. Mouthy, head strong, and devious." The wind blew slightly, as if to comment on his words. "Ino is his sensei. The poor kid. I knew one of your students would get him; they basically bribed the school to give him to one of them. I'm frightened to think of what Ino had to do to get him on her team. She probably wants him so badly so she can teach him the cat summons. As much as I like your girls, he's going to choose the dogs." It's no secret that brand new genins don't have summons, but Kazuki was one out of a very small handful to have the option of which he wanted.

Shinobi who have summons only have them because they were handed down or taught later on in life. Well, all except Soi of course, but she has always been a rare case to everything. Right after Soi and Kazuki were brought back to Konoha, Soi had the bright idea of teach Ino the cat summons. After much deliberation and a long talk with the cats, the felines finally agreed. Ino was so happy that she had a summons that she would often summon Nana just to torture Chouji. And it was no secret that Ino intended to teach Kazuki the cat summons. However, Kakashi was equally as pushy when it came to his dogs. The young genin loved his mother and sensei's summons like no other, but he loved his father's dogs too. What was a young man to do?

As those thoughts rolled around in the copy-ninja's head, the lack of reply from his wife left him wanting. The silence was often defining, but also comfortable. It was only around her that Kakashi could find a moment of relaxation.

The sky turned a darker shade of pink and the air turned a few degrees colder. "He misses you. We all do." Air caught in his lungs as he tried to find the right words to say.

Again, she didn't answer. Even thought Soi had passed away three days after her son's fourth birthday, Kakashi always thought that he would hear her voice again. That maybe she would walk through the front door or he'd wake up and find her sleeping next to him.

Just like Kazuki and several members of Soi's family, Kakashi visited his wife's grave as often as he could. Even though she never answered, he never missed a detail. Sometimes he'd catch members of her team chatting away with her. They'd tell her about training and missions, or gossip if Ino was the one visiting.

"I know that he's going to make an excellent shinobi. He graduated top of his class, of course. Sharp, quick, great at strategies…perfect. You'd be proud. Then again, you'd be proud if he decided to run around in a frizzy pink skirt and acted like fish."

The soft sound of rustling grass behind him, brought Kakshi to a halt. He turned his head to see Kai walking up behind him. If she was here, that meant Ino was going to join them for dinner…again. Kai sat by his feet and looked at the gravestone of her old friend with eyes full of longing. "You're family is waiting for you," she said softly, her eyes never moving from the stone. Kai and the rest of the cat summons visit Soi several times a week and when they're not with her they are usually at Gina's place. Summoning is not a particularly hard on a shinobi's body if done properly, but at the rate Ino summons the cats, she's lucky that she isn't bedridden. "You'll be late for dinner."

"We still have more to talk about."

Kai walked closer to the gravestone and laid down next to it. "She'll be here when you get back." Kakashi knew that she didn't mean any ill intent, but her words struck a nerve in his chest. She was right. Soi would always be here; never anywhere else. She'd never be out on missions, playing with her son, or in bed next to her husband.

Without another word Kakashi sped off in the direction of his mother-in-law's home. He was sure that dinner would probably be whatever Kazuki wanted, but it didn't bother him. There were only a few things that they two didn't agree on food wise, but he could easily eat whatever was put in front of him.

The smell of spices hit his sense the second he stepped through the door. Voices became louder the closer he walked towards the people who created the noise. "What took you so long," Gina asked as she set plates on the dinner tables.

Kakashi took the plates from her, finishing the job. Gina gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, something he had grown accustomed to years ago, and started decorating the tables with dark blue dinner glasses. "Just talking with Soi."

"I haven't been to see her in a few days. We should all go after dinner."

Dinner, like always, was perfect. The food was cooked perfectly and the house was filled with laughter. Kazuki told his family about his new team and the bell test. Everyone who was old enough to know the history about the bell test found it amusing. Manabu enjoyed hearing about his nephew's training and anything shinobi related. He'd constantly pressed the young boy for details and workout tips even though he was happy working as a medical assistant at the hospital.

Just like Gina suggested, everyone went to Soi's gravesite after dinner. There were laughter and tears, but most of all love. It was rare moments like that that the entire family felt whole again. It wasn't until that they sky turned black, besides the light glow of the stars that everyone left. Kakashi's told Kazuki that he needed rest for tomorrow. He knew what Ino had planned for the newly formed team and the new genin would need as much rest as he could get.

After many goodbyes, a few more tears, and a short walk the Hatake men found themselves in familiar surroundings. Their house wasn't as noise and large as Gina's house, but it was home. The pictures on the walls spoke volumes as the memories that they held told stories.

Kazuki's favorite picture was the one that was taken on his fourth birthday. The young boy was sitting on his mother's lap while he looked fondly at the cake in front of him. Kakashi was standing behind them, slightly bent over to get a better look, and was smiling through his mask at his child's happiness. In the picture Soi looked as healthy as ever, but what no one would tell the young shinobi was that his mother suffered tremendously that day. She wore makeup to cover up the dark circles under her eyes and had to fight with what little strength she had left to keep from shaking.

Another thing that no one would ever tell the boy was how lucky he was to have a mother in the first place. She was told that her pregnancy would kill her, but like the crazy girl she was, she lived. Then she was given the news that she would have a year to live at the most, but just like everything other challenge in her life, she pushed forward. Instead of a year, somehow she made it to four. Sure, the constant inject of the temporary cure helped her along, but most believed that it was her determination to watch her son grow up that really kept her going.

Kakashi would never speak of this out loud, but it baffled him how the Hokage and Wanabi could not figure out how to make the cure sooner. Wanabi and Tsunade both had their own versions of the cure. Although both were not close to the end result that had just been finished, it was something. Whatever it was that they pumped into her system day after day kept her alive for four years, she still ended up dying. The end result of the cure was finished three months before Kazuki's third birthday, but that didn't make a difference. They were told that even with the finished product, Soi would die soon anyway. The damage done to her internal organs had already been done and the finished product of the cure wouldn't be enough to save her. Any time she had left was what she stole from death.

On the bright side to all of this hell, not that Kakashi saw much of a bright side to his wife's death; there was now a perfected cure for what could be the world's most deadliest kekkei genkai. He would not have to worry about Kazuki dying of a deficiency his son may or may not ever have. It also gives hope to the rest of the Mouki family. After all of their complaining about Adatta choosing his daughter of the Mouki family and protesting that the research for the cure should be done in Iwagakure, they now had a saving grace. It only took countless deaths in order for them to have it, but what did they care? They had the chance to live without even thinking about how much pain and lose people had to go through in order to find their liquid salvation.

Kazuki walked into his father's room right as the "old man" pulled off his mask. "Do you need anything before I go to bed, old man?"

"One day I'm going to punch you for calling me old," the older man said as grabbed his Icha Icha book from his nightstand and rested on the bed.

"That's not nice."

"You're mother would've done it the first time you said it. Consider yourself lucky." Neither of them spoke for a moment before Kakashi put his book down beside him. "You should get to bed. You're in for an interesting day tomorrow."

"And you know that how?"

"I have my ways."

The boy scoffed at his father before exiting the room. "Night, dad," he yelled over his shoulder.

"Goodnight," the proud man called back softly. He put the book back on the nightstand, but his gaze rested on the picture next to the book. His baby boy was being held by his parents in a hospital bed. He continued to look at it until he couldn't stand to look at it anymore. His hand found the off switch on the lamp on the stand and the room went black.

Kakashi had been sleeping with the window cracked opened for the past few years. A trait Soi had left behind. The cool night air and the sounds of the crickets helped him sleep until another sound made itself known. The smell of water rolled into the room followed by the sound of rain. Kakashi turned to look out the window. For a moment, just a fraction of a second, he could've sworn he saw the love of his life sitting by the window. But like always, she wasn't really there. She never was. But even though she wasn't really there, it didn't stop him from doing what he did every night. After getting comfortable his voice floated into the air to mix with the sounds of the rain. "I love you, Soi."

/\/\

Soi's POV  
>It always kills me, again, when people came to visit my grave. It was nice to know that people still thought about me, but it hurt to see them cry. Kakashi was the only one who never shed a tear and I was very thankful for that. However, today was one of those days where my heart didn't break to see the people I left behind. It was nice of everyone to come to my grave and talk to me. I know they couldn't see me or hear my replies, but it was nice none the less.<p>

During the family visit everyone had something to say. Sango told me about what she was learning in school and about her new friends. Mom and Chiasa cracked jokes at Jun about something silly that he did. Obaa-san talked about how much she enjoyed not having to work and was able to do whatever she wanted, but as the dark sky chilled the air everyone began to leave. There were some tears, but that was typical.

I followed my loves to the place I once called home. While the boys got ready for bed I looked at all of the photos on the wall. The only reason Kakashi continued hanging photos was because of me. When I was alive I made sure that there was at least one picture of everyone we know on the hallway wall. Most of the pictures were of Kazuki, but there were some of our friends and family as well.

Kazuki came out of the bathroom, walked through me, and into his father's room. After a brief goodnight and the threat of a punch, my baby went to bed. I smiled at their childish antics and went to sit on the windowsill. I looked outside and saw that dark clouds were quickly rolling in. Rain was coming and it seemed like it was going to be a fun storm. It had been years since I last felt rain on my skin and I missed that feeling, but I would give anything to have the feel of my son in my arms again.

I rested my head on the glass as I looked at my husband. He was looking intently at the picture on the nightstand for the longest time, but he turned off the light after a few minutes. As he got comfortable he turned his face in my direction. The sound of rain filled the room as he looked at me. Well, looked through me. I wanted so badly to go lay beside him. To tell him how much I love him and that he needed to move on. I know he loves me, but I don't want him to be alone for the rest of his life. Sadly, I knew that my desire would never come true. I know that he'd never marry or love again. Part of me was happy to know that he loves me that much, but the other part of me wanted him to find someone he could grow old with.

Like every night before bed he whispered those simple words that always made my heart flutter. "I love you, Soi." In return I always say, "I love you too", but he never hears me. After our brief exchange of love I went to Kazuki's room. I always gave him a kiss goodnight even though he couldn't feel it. Kami, he was perfect. He is truly everything I could've hope for in a son. I am so very, very proud of him. He grew up to be more than I could ever ask for. Come rain or shine, he came to visit my grave at least once a week. He would tell me about school, about the family, everything.

Once they were both asleep I returned to my grave. The small droplets of water fazed through my body and splattered against the cold ground. When I arrived to my resting place, Jiraiya and Asuma were waiting for me. "You know that you guys don't have to wait for me, right?"

"Yeah, but it's nice to come back here every now and then," Jiraiya said as he gave me one of his cheeky grins. It was no kept secret amongst the dead that the three of us come back here every night. Asuma goes to see Kurenai and his child, while Jiraiya goes to see Tsunade. Our other fallen friends also return here, but not nearly as much as we do. "I can't believe how quickly your kids have grown," he said as he looked at the two of us. "It makes me feel old."

"You are old," Asuma and I said in unison.

"But I make old look good." Jiraiya grinned at us before turning into a beautiful white light and ascending into the sky.

Asuma scratched the back of his head and smirked with amusement. "Even in death he's still cocky."

I giggled lightly as I looked up to the sky. "And to think that we have an eternity with him." Asuma laughed before turning into a light as well and flying away from me. I watched him go before I took one final look at Konoha. There were still a few lights on in the village, making my home look even more amazing than it already was. I smiled as a lifetime of memories flooded my mind. "Goodnight, Konoha."

The familiar feeling of warmth filled my entire being like it did every night. My ghostly body began to vanish as it turned into a bright light. Even in this form I could still see the world around me perfectly. As I ascended into the sky the lights of the village began to fade into the distance. Soon, I was past the rain clouds and made my way to the place where my fallen friends were waiting for me.

AN: Thank you all SOOOOOOOOOOOO much for taking the time to read and comment on Coming Home. It truly means the world to me. Don't forget to look for the prequel. It is call Unexpected and it's up. Go have a look.


	38. Author's Note - IMPORTANT

**Authors Note: IMPORTANT**

Hello everyone! I'm sure all or most of you know that I created a prequel to this story called _Unexpected_. It is currently posted and should be coming to a close within 10 chapters or so (I hope). Anyway, today I came up with an idea that I never thought I would do. I want to write a sequel to _Coming Home_.

I'm working on the outline for it now, but I haven't come up with a title yet. The first person to comment about it or send me PM will get the chance to help me come up with the title and will get to read the prologue and first chapter of the story before I post it.

Also, I've been toying with the idea of writhing _Coming Home_ in Kouki and Ichirou's POV. Is that something you guys would like or should I focus more on finishing _Coming Home_ and working on the sequel? I can do both, it will just take me longer to get them up and going.

Please tell me what you think by leaving me a comment or a PM.


End file.
